Van Gogh, Vincent (1853-1890)
Self-Portrait or Portrait of Theo van Gogh
1887
Oil on cardboard, 19 cm x 14.1 cm
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Paris, Summer 1887
F0294, JH1209
This painting was long thought to be a self-portrait of Vincent; however, another view is that it shows his brother Theo.
The brothers, namely, bore a striking resemblance to one another. Unfortunately, there is no decisive evidence to determine who is actually portrayed, which is why the painting now has a double title.
The portrait is unusually small and painted in considerable detail. Van Gogh was probably trying to compete with portrait photos. He had written some time earlier, ‘it’s a cause worth fighting for to show people that there’s something else in human beings besides what the photographer is able to get out of them with his machine.’ (VGM)
See also:
• Van Gogh, Theo (1857-1891)