Van Gogh's 'Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat' (1887) captures the artist's intense self-scrutiny during his transformative Paris period. In this striking work, Van Gogh portrays himself wearing a light straw hat, his distinctive red beard and penetrating gaze commanding immediate attention. The painting showcases his evolving technique of short, deliberate brushstrokes and his experimentation with lighter, more vibrant colours that marked his departure from the darker Dutch palette of his earlier works.
The portrait reflects Van Gogh's absorption of Impressionist influences during his time in Paris, where he was exposed to the works of artists like Pissarro and Seurat. The background, rendered in varying shades of blue-green, creates a swirling energy that contrasts with the more structured treatment of his face and hat. This dynamic interplay demonstrates his unique ability to combine structured composition with emotional expressiveness.
What makes this self-portrait particularly fascinating is that it was created during a period when Van Gogh was both studying and rejecting conventional techniques. He painted nearly two dozen self-portraits during his two years in Paris, using himself as a subject partly due to financial constraints - he couldn't afford models - but also as a means of intensive artistic self-exploration. The straw hat, a common accessory among artists working outdoors, symbolises his growing interest in painting en plein air and his dedication to capturing natural light, which would become crucial to his later works in Arles.
