Self-Portrait

Vincent van Gogh completed this self-portrait in 1889 at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, where he had committed himself after his breakdown. The swirling blue-green background anticipates The Starry Night, painted the same year.

Van Gogh's gaze is intense and searching. The short, rhythmic brushstrokes create an almost sculptural surface, the paint thick and gestural. His palette has shifted to the cool blues and greens he associated with healing and calm.

This is one of over 30 self-portraits van Gogh created in his brief career. It is a highlight of the National Gallery of Art and one of the most powerful Post-Impressionist works in America.