Fine Art

Self-portrait — History & Facts

Vincent moved to Paris in 1886, after hearing from his brother Theo about the new, colourful style of French painting. Wasting no time, he tried it out in several self-portraits. He did this mostly to avoid having to pay for a model.

Using rhythmic brushstrokes in striking colours, he portrayed himself here as a fashionably dressed Parisian.

More Artworks by Vincent van Gogh

A swirling night sky filled with stars over a quiet village.

The Starry Night

Vincent van Gogh

A simple rush-seated chair with a pipe and tobacco pouch on its seat, painted by Vincent van Gogh.

Van Gogh's Chair

Vincent van Gogh

A vividly colored café interior with a billiard table, glowing lamps, two seated figures, bottles on tables, and a clock showing past midnight.

The Night Café

Vincent van Gogh

A brightly lit café terrace with tables, chairs, and small groups of people under a starry deep blue night sky on a cobbled street.

Café Terrace at Night

Vincent van Gogh

Pale almond blossoms cluster on twisting branches set against a vivid blue sky with textured brushstrokes and overlapping forms.

Almond Blossom

Vincent van Gogh

A vibrant garden scene with dense wildflowers in red, yellow, blue, and pink, a white building with a red roof, cypress trees, and textured foliage under a pale blue sky.

Flowering Garden

Vincent van Gogh

A golden wheat field in the foreground with tall dark cypress trees on the right, blue mountains in the background, and a swirling blue and white cloudy sky above.

A Wheatfield, with Cypresses

Vincent van Gogh

A cluster of blossoming plum trees with white and pink flowers stands in a green meadow dotted with wildflowers under a pale blue-grey sky.

Orchard in Blossom (Plum Trees)

Vincent van Gogh

A snowy landscape with Arles in the background, showcasing Van Gogh's distinctive brushwork.

Snowy Landscape with Arles in the Background

Vincent van Gogh

Farmers in blue and green garments work among vivid red and yellow vines with a horse-drawn carriage, a house, and a glowing sky in the background.

The Red Vineyard

Vincent van Gogh

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More Portrait Art

A young girl in a pale dress stands center surrounded by figures including two women, a dwarf, a dog, and a man with a brush beside a large canvas.

Las Meninas

Diego Velázquez

A European girl wearing a blue headscarf with a yellow drape and a large pearl earring against a dark background.

Girl with a Pearl Earring

Johannes Vermeer

A man wearing a heavy brown coat and dark fur hat with a white bandage on his right ear clenches a wooden pipe between his lips as smoke rises.

Self-portrait with a Bandaged Ear and Pipe

Unidentified artist

Marie de' Medici stands in a lavish black and gold gown with a golden mantle and helmet, crowned by two winged putti above her, with armor and weapons at her feet against a dramatic sky.

Portrait de Marie de Médicis

Peter Paul Rubens

A seated woman in a deep blue and gold gown with a starched white ruff, holding flowers, against a red curtain and grand architectural background.

Anne of Austria, Queen of France

Peter Paul Rubens

Equestrian portrait of Charles Colonna, Duke of Marsi by Peter Paul Rubens, depicting the Duke on a rearing warhorse.

Equestrian portrait of Charles Colonna, Duke of Marsi

Peter Paul Rubens

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