Quay with men unloading sand barges

During his time in Arles in 1888, Vincent van Gogh turned his attention to a busy stretch of the local quay where workers hauled sand from moored barges. The painting bursts with the colors of Provence that had drawn him south earlier that year, especially the striking green river water that ripples across the whole scene. Thick, restless brushstrokes give the boats and figures a sense of motion, while a tiny French flag flutters from one of the vessels, a small burst of red, white, and blue among the browns and yellows.

Van Gogh had a real fondness for painting working people going about their everyday tasks, and here he chose men doing something as humble as shoveling sand. The influence of Japanese prints comes through in the flat, clean shapes of the barges and the bold way the composition is arranged. Interestingly, he thought this subject was worth planning carefully, making a detailed reed pen drawing of the same view before committing it to canvas. The result is a warm, unpretentious look at ordinary labor, painted by someone who clearly found joy in watching people work.