Van Gogh, Vincent (1853-1890)
Self-Portrait (F 268, JH 1299)
c.1887
Oil on canvas, 40.3 x 34 cm
Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford
Curatorial Narrative: Throughout his short career, van Gogh was fascinated with his own features and painted numerous portraits of himself. This “Self-Portrait” was executed during is early years in Paris when his style was evolving from the rough textures and dark tones of his Dutch period to a brighter, less restrained manner inspired by the Parisian avant-garde. The short, swiftly applied strokes create an intensity that is reinforced by the lively contrast between the dark blue of the background and the fiery red of the artist’s lips and beard.
Collection Catalog Narrative: Throughout his short career, Vincent van Gogh was fascinated with his own features and painted numerous portraits of himself. This unfinished self-portrait was made during his early years in Paris when his style was evolving from the rough textures and dark tones of his Dutch period to a brighter, less-restrained manner. Van Gogh finished about two dozen self-portraits during this period. The short, swiftly applied brushstrokes create an intensity that is reinforced by the lively contrast between the dark blue of the background and the fiery reds and oranges of the artist’s lips and beard. Due to strained financial resources and dissatisfaction with many of his earlier compositions while in Paris, van Gogh often reused his old canvases, either painting over the surface or turning them over to paint on the reverse as he did with this painting. This portrait was exhibited in the famous Armory show of 1913 in New York and was bought by John Quinn, a pioneering American collector of modern European art. (WA)