---
title: Self-portrait by van Gogh
author: Musée d'Orsay
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/15458/self-portrait-by-van-gogh/
format: machine-readable-alternate
updated: 2026-04-22
---
# Self-portrait by van Gogh
_Authored by Musée d'Orsay_
## Image File
[](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/15458.png)
## Image Caption
An 1889 oil-on-canvas self-portrait by [Vincent van Gogh](https://www.worldhistory.org/Vincent_van_Gogh/) (1853-90), the Dutch post-impressionist artist. Painted in September in Saint-Rémy de Provence. One of 43 self-portraits we have by the artist. The swirls of the background and the similarity in colour between that background and the artist's jacket are typical features of van Gogh's work in this period. The colour choice also accentuates Vincent's red hair and beard. The artist described his purpose with portraits in a letter to his sister Wil:
> I should like to do portraits which will appear as revelations to people in a [hundred years](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Hundred_Years/)' time. In other words, I am not trying to achieve this by photographic likeness but by rendering our impassioned expressions by using our modern knowledge and appreciation of colour as a means of rendering and exalting character. (LW 22F)
Musée d'Orsay, [Paris](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/paris/).
## Cite This Work
### APA
d'Orsay, M. (2022, March 16). Self-portrait by van Gogh. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
d'Orsay, Musée. "Self-portrait by van Gogh." *World History Encyclopedia*, March 16, 2022. .
### MLA
d'Orsay, Musée. "Self-portrait by van Gogh." *World History Encyclopedia*, 16 Mar 2022, .
## License & Copyright
[Original image](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SelbstPortrait_VG2.jpg) by [**Musée d'Orsay**](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SelbstPortrait_VG2.jpg). Submitted by [Mark Cartwright](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/markzcartwright/ "User Page: Mark Cartwright"), published on 16 March 2022. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Public Domain](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain). This item is in the public domain, and can be used, copied, and modified without any restrictions. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.