*** About The Peasant Woman Cooking by a Fireplace: Vincent Van Gogh painted this captivating scene in 1885 during his early years, where he was profoundly inspired by the lives of peasants and the working class. This phase marked a defining moment in Van Gogh’s development as an artist, where he delved deep into the emotional and spiritual aspects of his subjects, rather than just their outward appearances. The artwork reflects the influence of Realism, a style that Van Gogh admired for its focus on everyday life and its unvarnished depiction of the human condition. Van Gogh’s technique of using thick, expressive brushstrokes to convey emotion and movement would later become one of his signatures. The inspiration for this painting came from his stay in Nuenen, where he immersed himself in the study of peasant life, aiming to portray the earnestness and resilience of the rural community. The original painting is currently housed in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, offering a poignant glimpse into the artist’s early directional studies and his empathy for the common man.