Self Portraits oil paintings by Vincent van Gogh reproductions
With over 30 self-portraits between 1886 and 1889, it is easy to say that Van Gogh is one of the most successful, articulate and prolific self-portraitists of all time. Initially, Van Gogh painted
peasants as models, but then he wanted to experiment more with colour and that is why he started painting more
flowers and
landscapes. But that was also mainly because Van Gogh couldn’t afford to pay models, as he told his sister Wilhelmina in a letter. And that is probably the reason why he did so many self-portraits. Some of the most famous self-portrait done by Van Gogh include him with a
bandaged ear and him as a painter.
Self Portrait Series
For Van Gogh, painting
portraits was not just about making ends meet, he really thought that portraits could develop his skills and make him a better artist. The self-portraits done by Van Gogh clearly depict the change in his painting techniques. In fact, they also show a psychological decline and that level of honesty in portraits is really hard to achieve even for the best of painters.
Most of the self-portraits were done by Van Gogh in the last five years of his life in
Arles. The most popular and interesting self-portrait by Van Gogh is definitely him with a bandaged ear which was done just weeks after one of his ear was almost cut off. While it might appear in the painting that his right ear has been cut off, but since Van Gogh used a mirror to paint his own portraits, it was actually his left ear which was affected.
About Van Gogh Studio
Van Gogh Studio’s aim is to honour the great painter and help everyone take home a piece of Van Gogh with them. We work with some amazingly talented Dutch and world artists who have studied Van Gogh’s painting techniques for years.
The reproduction that our artists create looks and feels just like the original and that is because we don’t try to just copy the painting, we capture its soul. If you would like to own a Van Gogh, contact us today. We have served customers in more than 20 countries around the world.