Self-Portrait
Painting on canvas (portrait format) • Vincent van Gogh
Style & Movement
Post-Impressionism (incorporating Divisionist influences)
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas, employing pointillist and short-stroke Divisionist techniques with vibrant contrasting colors
Creation Period
1887
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 42 cm x 33.7 cm (16 1/2 in x 13 1/4 in), vertical rectangle portrait format
Subject Description
A close-up self-portrait of the artist Vincent van Gogh featuring red hair and beard, wearing a dark patterned jacket against a vibrantly stippled background
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent, preserved in a major museum collection with stable pigment and secure canvas integrity
Estimated Market Value
Not applicable (museum-held masterwork, effectively priceless, estimated well in excess of $50,000,000 if traded privately)
Auction Estimate
Not applicable; museum accessioned piece unlikely to appear at public auction
Provenance History
Part of the artist's estate, passed through various European galleries and private collections, eventually entering a prominent public museum collection (Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam)
Art Historical Significance
A pivotal work from van Gogh's Paris period demonstrating his experimentation with pointillism and optical color mixing learned from contemporaries like Seurat and Signac
Notable Features
Distinctive use of rhythmic dot and dash brushstrokes across the background and subject's clothing, showcasing van Gogh's unique adaptation of Parisian avant-garde techniques
Condition Issues
Minor age-related craquelure typical of late 19th-century oil paintings, otherwise stable with no major active deterioration visible
Conservation Recommendations
Maintain strict museum-controlled climate (50% RH, 20°C), low-lux LED lighting, and regular monitoring for varnish stability