Self-Portrait
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.)
Classification
oil on board
Department
Painting and Sculpture of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
80607
Art Historical Context
Vincent van Gogh's *Self-Portrait* (1887) invites visitors into the artist's introspective world during his transformative Paris years. Created when Van Gogh was experimenting with urban influences and brighter palettes, this work captures his shift toward Post-Impressionism, marked by expressive brushwork and emotional intensity. Lacking funds for professional models, Van Gogh frequently turned to self-portraits—over 30 in total—making this a poignant example of his resourceful ingenuity. Painted in oil on an artist's board and mounted on a cradled panel for durability, the compact 41 × 32.5...
About the Artist
Vincent van Gogh · 1853–1890
Vincent Willem van Gogh (1853-1890) stands as one of the most influential figures in Western art history, despite a career spanning merely a decade. Born in Groot-Zundert, Netherlands, to a Protestant pastor's family, van Gogh's path to artistic greatness was anything but conventional. His early adulthood saw him working as an art dealer for Goupil & Cie, a language teacher, and a fervent missiona...