Vincent van Gogh
Paris, Spring 1887
Oil paint on artist’s board
1887 was Vincent van Gogh’s most prolific year for self-portraiture. That year alone, he painted more than half of his overall output. It marked a key moment in his artistic development, with Van Gogh using self-portraiture to try out and develop different styles.
This work is a rare depiction of Van Gogh facing the viewer straight on. The artist seldom adopted this frontal presentation in his self-portraits, perhaps because it emphasized his gaunt cheeks, hollowed by missing teeth.