When Paul Gauguin painted Selfportrait, dedicated to his friend Daniel in 1896, he was living in self-imposed exile in Tahiti, far from Paris and the European art world. This self-portrait is remarkable for its personal inscription to Daniel de Monfreid, a close confidant who supported Gauguin emotionally and financially during these difficult years. The dedication transforms the painting from a simple likeness into a gesture of friendship and gratitude, a rare instance of the artist addressing a specific individual through his work.

Letters from Gauguin to Monfreid reveal the depth of their bond, with Gauguin once writing, "You are my only friend, the one who understands me." In the painting, Gauguin presents himself with an intense, searching gaze, set against a backdrop of symbolic objects. The artist's face is rendered with bold, flat colors, typical of his Synthetist approach, and his expression is both guarded and vulnerable. Behind him, a halo-like shape suggests martyrdom or sainthood, a motif Gauguin often used to comment on his own suffering and isolation.

The inclusion of a snake and an apple in the background alludes to the biblical story of the Fall, hinting at themes of temptation and loss. Compared to Vincent van Gogh's introspective self-portraits, Gauguin's version is less about psychological turmoil and more about constructing a mythic image of the artist as outsider and visionary. The exact medium of this work remains uncertain, but it is consistent with the oil-on-canvas technique Gauguin favored during his Tahitian period. After its creation, the painting remained in the possession of Daniel de Monfreid, who preserved much of Gauguin's correspondence and art.

Over the years, it has passed through several private collections and has occasionally appeared in exhibitions dedicated to Gauguin's time in the South Pacific. Today, it stands as a testament to the artist's struggle for recognition and the importance of friendship in sustaining his creative spirit during years of hardship and exile.