Napi Vincent

Art of the Day: Van Gogh, Portrait of Père Tanguy, Autumn 1887. Oil on canvas, 92 x 75 cm. Musée Rodin, Paris.

Julien Tanguy (1825-1894), known affectionately as "Père" ("Papa"), ran an paint supply shop and informal gallery on the Rue Clauzel in Paris. A promoter of modern art who often accepted paintings in exchange for the materials he sold, Tanguy was a popular figure among many Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists. During his time in Paris, Van Gogh created three portraits of Tanguy, including this painting of the shopkeeper against a background filled with Japanese prints.