Augustine Roulin sits in a wooden chair, her hands folded over a length of yellow rope that rests in her lap. She wears a dark dress and a bright green skirt, the folds of which are boldly outlined with thick, dark brushstrokes. The brushwork is energetic and visible, especially in the textured rendering of her hair and the background’s floral pattern, where short, distinct strokes and dots create a sense of movement and vibrancy.

The composition centers Roulin in the frame, her form anchored by the chair’s arms and the diagonal of the rope, while the vivid colors and decorative motifs behind her contrast with the solidity of her pose. The scene is intimate, with no other figures present, and every detail—the clasped hands, the rope, the chair—contributes to the sense of calm and contemplation. The chair’s arms are painted in a reddish-brown color, with angular lines defining their edges and the top corners visible at either side of the canvas.

The background’s floral pattern extends to the very edges of the painting, with some flowers partially cropped by the frame, especially at the upper left and right corners. The woman’s hair is rendered with short, parallel strokes of orange, yellow, and brown, giving it a textured and layered appearance. A solid band of red at the bottom left corner contrasts sharply with the green of the skirt and the dark background, emphasizing the geometric structure of the composition. Madame Roulin Rocking the Cradle (La Berceuse) was created by Vincent van Gogh in 1889 in Arles.

The Art Institute of Chicago notes that van Gogh described his palette for this work as a soothing 'lullaby in colors.' Van Gogh completed five versions of this composition, and this example was painted in January 1889, soon after his return from the hospital.