A young man sits in three-quarter view, his head turned slightly to the left, set against a luminous green background that fills the entire space behind him. He wears a dark, broad-brimmed hat with a deep shadow cast across his forehead, its edge outlined in blue against the green. His face is pale, with a faint mustache and sideburns, and his lips are pressed together in a thoughtful, almost melancholic expression.

The sitter’s eyes, outlined in dark strokes, look downward and to the left, giving him an introspective air. He is dressed in a dark blue jacket with lapels edged in lighter blue, and a loosely tied white cravat at his neck, the folds of the fabric rendered with swift, visible brushstrokes. The brushwork throughout the jacket and background is energetic and textured, with the green backdrop showing subtle vertical and diagonal strokes that animate the space.

The composition is tightly cropped, with the figure filling most of the canvas and the background left empty, emphasizing the youth’s presence and mood. Faint pinks, yellows, and greens model the face, with quick, directional strokes that give a sense of the sitter’s youthful skin and the play of light across his features. The painting’s palette is dominated by cool greens and blues, offset by the warm tones of the skin and the white of the cravat, creating a striking visual contrast. Portrait of Armand Roulin was created by Vincent van Gogh in 1888, during his time in Arles. The bold outlines, expressive use of color, and energetic application of paint in this portrait reflect the artist’s distinctive approach during this phase of his career.