| Vincent C Model, Myth & Human Being | | | | friend and eventual nemesis, Paul Gauguin. |
| | | | One is a haunting and disquieting painting |
| "Âit is difficult to know yourself, but it | | | | called "Self-Portrait Dedicated to Paul |
| isn't easy to paint oneself either." | | | | Gauguin," and the other is simply titled |
| Vincent van Gogh | | | | "Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear." |
| | | | |
| From 1885 through 1890, van Gogh painted at | | | | The incident which caused van Gogh to slice |
| least 30 self-portraits, an amazing number | | | | off most of an earlobe is possibly the most |
| of likenesses to complete in such a short | | | | famous in art history. During a violent |
| time span. They represent his most active | | | | disagreement with his friend Gauguin, |
| years as a master artist, and all carry the | | | | Vincent heard the words "Kill him" in that |
| distinctive van Gogh intensity with which | | | | ear, which he opted to remove rather than |
| every picture he ever made was imbued. | | | | obey. This great artist suffered throughout |
| | | | his life from unruly emotional seizures and |
| Many of his early self-portraits resemble the | | | | great mental strife which led him to enter an |
| great self-portraits carried out by | | | | asylum for a year and then to commit |
| Rembrandt van Rijn in the 1600's. A | | | | suicide. |
| comparison between the two elicits several | | | | |
| points of similarities, such as the serious | | | | It is easy to romanticize such a bigger-than |
| demeanor, elegant and dramatic lighting and | | | | life character whose work consistently |
| a certain likeness in the visage itself. | | | | creates enormous impact in the viewer's heart |
| These are portraits of two master Dutch | | | | and mind. We say, "Oh you were |
| artists from vastly different times, but a | | | | misunderstood, but we understand, Vincent." |
| viewer making such comparisons tends to | | | | And indeed, we do understand. The fact is, |
| feel the two would have probably been great | | | | his greatest gift was the ability to make |
| friends. | | | | paintings that are at once tremendously |
| | | | moving and also simple enough to communicate |
| A tour through Vincent's many self-portraits | | | | with diamondlike clarity. |
| displays not only his ability to paint | | | | |
| character in an intensely personal way, but | | | | Though largely unrecognized during his |
| also his comfort with different styles. | | | | lifetime, Van Gogh believed himself to be a |
| During his brief but almost supernaturally | | | | true artist. His 37 years on this planet were |
| productive ten years as an artist, van Gogh | | | | not easy nor pleasant, being full of |
| made the transition from realism to | | | | depressive and violent episodes. But if his |
| impressionism (especially pointalism) to | | | | body of self-portraits tell us anything, it |
| expressionism with nary a glitch. His own | | | | is that he knew, loved and accepted himself |
| style was quite firmly in place by the last | | | | as much as the beloved friends and peasants |
| few years of his life, and is now either | | | | he depicted with so much care and |
| labeled "expressionistic" or | | | | compassion. |
| "post-impressionist." | | | | |
| | | | Visit the Life of Van Gogh website for more |
| Two of his most famous self-portraits would | | | | information on Van Gogh paintings, or to get |
| never have been painted were it not for his | | | | out own Biography of Vincent Van Gogh. |