Self-Portrait, 1887
Paris, March-June
Oil paint on artist's board
This painting forms a group of closely related self-portraits made by Vincent van Gogh in spring 1887.
In them, the painter wears the same white shirt and blue cravat under a brown jacket with a navy trim. He represents himself from different angles, however, exploring the impact of these variations.
The loose and seemingly unfinished background is not intentional. Van Gogh had originally set his features against a rich purple backdrop, whihc has faded over time. Only the green and blue specks added to enliven it remain.
[The Courtauld]
From the exhibition
Van Gogh. Self-Portraits
(February - May 2022)
Van Gogh. Self-Portraits takes as its springboard Van Gogh’s iconic Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear, one of the most celebrated works in The Courtauld’s collection, and brings together around half of the self-portraits Van Gogh created during his short years as a painter.
This is the first time that the full span of Van Gogh’s self-portraiture has been explored in an exhibition. Several works in the exhibition were last together in Van Gogh’s studio and have never been reunited, until now.
An outstanding selection of 16 self-portraits have been brought together to trace the evolution of Van Gogh’s self representation, from his early Self-Portrait with a Dark Felt Hat, created in 1886 during his formative period in Paris, to Self-Portrait with a Palette, painted at the asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence in September 1889, one of his last self-portraits before his death in 1890.
The myth of Van Gogh today is linked as much to his extraordinary life as it is to his stunning paintings. This exhibition allows both aspects to be explored.
[The Courtauld]
Self-Portrait, 1887
Paris, March-June
Oil paint on artist's board
This painting forms a group of closely related self-portraits made by Vincent van Gogh in spring 1887.
In them, the painter wears the same white shirt and blue cravat under a brown jacket with a navy trim. He represents himself from different angles, however, exploring the impact of these variations.
The loose and seemingly unfinished background is not intentional. Van Gogh had originally set his features against a rich purple backdrop, whihc has faded over time. Only the green and blue specks added to enliven it remain.
[The Courtauld]
From the exhibition
Van Gogh. Self-Portraits
(February - May 2022)
Van Gogh. Self-Portraits takes as its springboard Van Gogh’s iconic Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear, one of the most celebrated works in The Courtauld’s collection, and brings together around half of the self-portraits Van Gogh created during his short years as a painter.
This is the first time that the full span of Van Gogh’s self-portraiture has been explored in an exhibition. Several works in the exhibition were last together in Van Gogh’s studio and have never been reunited, until now.
An outstanding selection of 16 self-portraits have been brought together to trace the evolution of Van Gogh’s self representation, from his early Self-Portrait with a Dark Felt Hat, created in 1886 during his formative period in Paris, to Self-Portrait with a Palette, painted at the asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence in September 1889, one of his last self-portraits before his death in 1890.
The myth of Van Gogh today is linked as much to his extraordinary life as it is to his stunning paintings. This exhibition allows both aspects to be explored.
[The Courtauld]