Self-Portrait

1887

Van Gogh’s face is as well known as his art—in fact, it is inseparable from it. The artist painted more than 35 self-portraits over his lifetime. This one was created in Paris under the influence of Seurat and pointillism. The intense dabs of paint and color, anchored by his eyes, create a turbulent energy, giving the viewer a deep sense of the artist’s presence.

Public domain · CC0
Free to download and reuse. Image courtesy of Art Institute of Chicago.

Artist

Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890)

Date

1887

Medium

Oil on artist's board, mounted on cradled panel

Dimensions

41 × 32.5 cm (16 1/8 × 12 13/16 in.); Framed: 61.6 × 53.4 × 8.9 cm (24 1/4 × 21 × 3 1/2 in.)

Origin

Netherlands

Collection

Art Institute of Chicago

Credit

Joseph Winterbotham Collection