The Potato Eaters, 1885

The potato, which had initially spread slowly throughout Europe, ultimately became one of the most important foodstuffs, particularly among the impoverished classes. It did not become part of bourgeois cuisine until the 19th century. Vincent van Gogh's (1853–1890) painting The Potato Eaters from 1885 depicts a farming family eating a simple meal of potatoes. Another colonial product, coffee, which had by then spread to the lower social classes, is served with the meal.

Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890), The Potato Eaters, oil on canvas, 82 × 114 cm, 1885; source: Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation), signature s5V/1962 F82.