Sorrow (Van Gogh)

Sorrow is a drawing by Vincent van Gogh, produced in 1882.

The work, created two years after Van Gogh had decided to become an artist, depicts 32-year-old pregnant woman Clasina Maria Hoornik, familiarly known as Sien. The drawing is part of the Garman Ryan Collection held at The New Art Gallery Walsall. Previously, it was in the private collection of artist Sally Ryan, who had the work hung in her permanent suite at the Dorchester Hotel in London.

The drawing is one of a series using Sien Hoornik as model. It is mentioned in a number of letters by Van Gogh, and he appears to have thought highly of it, considering it an important work and describing the drawing as "the best figure I've drawn". In a letter from July 1882, Van Gogh states; I want to make drawings that touch some people. Sorrow is a small beginning [...] there is at least something directly from my own heart. The piece is numbered as F929a in the catalogue raisonné by Jacob Baart de la Faille.