Another of van Gogh’s groups of paintings and sketches is of the Roulin family. Just as he found his niche with drawing and painting the De Groot family, who is pictured in The Potato Eaters as well as other studies from the Dutch Era (www.vangoghmuseum.nl), van Gogh became friendly with Joseph Roulin,
a neighbor in Arles, and between 1888 and 1889, he created a number of works of the Roulin family, individually and together. Van Gogh greatly admired Roulin, and wrote to his sister, Wil: “The man is a great republican and socialist; he reasons well and knows quite a lot,” (Kroller-Muller, 267). 
He saw Roulin as a father figure, even though Roulin was not quite old enough to be. (Kroller-Muller 270). Van Gogh’s admiration is quite visible in the paintings of Roulin. Joseph Roulin always appears dignified and knowledgeable, a reflection of what van Gogh thought of him, expressed through his welcoming, yet noble expression and, most importantly, his impressive-looking postal uniform, which he wears in each sketch and painting. He manages to show his admiration in his depictions of the rest of the family as well; it is even shown in his painting of Roulin’s young son, Camille. Camille appears full of life, his bright, blue eyes and almost mischievous expression imply a curious nature, things that a young boy should have. Most importantly, these portraits are completely focused on the Roulins, and in most cases, the background is either plain or a patterned wallpaper, so as not to distract from the personality of each of the family members he showed.