Van Gogh Museum 01
PortraitsEven though Impressionism did not invite to a subjective study but mainly to an objective study of light, Van Gogh was part of a later current that, with Cézanne, reexhamined the value of portraits and self portraits. Van Gogh dedicated at least 30 of his works to this genre, in a lifespan of five years, beginning from 1885. Among those which can be seen there is Self-Portrait with Pipe and Straw Hat, a Oil on canvas on cardboard which was painted during a winter in Paris, shortly before the departure to Arles and Self-Portrait in Front of the Easel, an oil on canvas with contrasting colours. Instead of being sketchy, as the pself portraits by the artist were, this one is detailed and the dry strokes have been applied with care.
