DAY 305

A PICTURE’S WORTH 1000 200 WORDS

Self-Portait

VINCENT VAN GOGH, 1889

Vincent van Gogh completed this final self-portrait less than a year before his death in 1890. It was created at the mental health asylum in Saint-Remy, France where he also painted The Starry Night. Six weeks before executing this painting, van Gogh had suffered one of his several severe mental breakdowns. Eventually, his condition improved enough that his doctors granted him permission to paint. Over the course of a month, he finished two self-portraits, providing us with two different perspectives of a genius coping with the effects of a troubled mind.

The most striking aspect of this version is the contrast of colors. The warmth of the artist’s head stands out boldly against the cool blues and greens of the background, and they draw our attention to his face. Considering that this self-portrait was painted while van Gogh was institutionalized and near death, it may appear that he is surprisingly calm and composed. It’s difficult, however, to ignore his scowl and the deep unhappiness and emotional unrest conveyed in his expression. Adding to the tension are van Gogh’s trademark swirls, which seem to reflect the chaos and self-destructive impulses brewing in the artist’s soul. —DDG