Self-Portrait (1889) by Vincent van Gogh

Self-Portrait (1889) by Vincent van Gogh

"How can I be useful, of what service can I be? There is something inside me, what can it be?" --Vincent van Gogh

The great Dutch artist painted his own image at regular intervals throughout his life. They are generally seen as insights into the artist's psychological makeup. This self-portrait was finished in 1889, one year before he passed away. The beautiful blue swirling background that echoes around the bust of the painter reflects his thinking at that time, which I perceive as conflicts inside the artist. Here I compare the swirling background to his famous masterpiece Starry Night, which I perceive as breaking free confines of the perspective fame that dictated a precise and realistic approach to a work's perspective.

"There is no blue without yellow and without orange. " -- Vincent van Gogh

Although the painting is almost monochromatic with an abundance of blues, the artist's yellow-brown hair and beard are built up in forceful colors and contract the blues and purples of the backgrounds and the clothes worn by the artist.

I was attracted to this self-portrait at the first sight. Looking at this picture rests my eyes. The background is crystal-blue. The hair and beard are yellow-brown. And the collar - as there is no white in the picture, is white.