Self-Portrait as a Painter
Currently on view
Vincent van Gogh (1853 - 1890), Paris, December 1887-February 1888
oil on canvas, 65.1 cm x 50 cm
Credits (obliged to state): Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)
Van Gogh presented himself in this self-portrait as a painter, holding a palette and paintbrushes behind his easel. He showed that he was a modern artist by using a new painting style, with bright, almost unblended colours. The palette contains the complementary colour pairs red/green, yellow/purple and blue/orange – precisely the colours Van Gogh used for this painting. He laid these pairs down side by side to intensify one another: the blue of his smock, for instance, and the orange-red of his beard.
Self-Portrait as a Painter was the last work Van Gogh produced in Paris; the city had exhausted him both mentally and physically. He told his sister Wil how he had portrayed himself: ‘wrinkles in forehead and around the mouth, stiffly wooden, a very red beard, quite unkempt and sad’.
- F-number
- F0522
- JH-number
- JH1356
- Object number
- s0022V1962
- Dimensions
- 65.1 cm x 50 cm, 86 cm x 71 cm, 8 cm
- Provenance
- Left by the artist at the apartment of his brother Theo van Gogh, Paris, somewhere between December 1887 and February 1888; after his death on 25 January 1891, inherited by his widow, Jo van Gogh-Bonger, and their son, Vincent Willem van Gogh, Paris; administered until her death on 2 September 1925 by Jo van Gogh-Bonger, Bussum/Amsterdam/Laren; 1909 given on loan by Jo van Gogh-Bonger to the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam; given on loan by Vincent Willem van Gogh, Laren to the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, from 1927 to 1930; given on loan by Vincent Willem van Gogh to the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, since 22 October 1931; donated by Vincent Willem van Gogh to the (1st) Vincent van Gogh Foundation, Laren, 11 March 1952; transferred by the (1st) Vincent van Gogh Foundation to the Theo van Gogh Foundation, Laren, 28 December 1960; agreement concluded on 21 July 1962 between the (2nd) Vincent van Gogh Foundation, Amsterdam, and the State of the Netherlands, in which the preservation and management of the collection, and its placing in the Rijksmuseum Vincent van Gogh, to be realized in Amsterdam, is entrusted to the State; donated on 21 July 1962 by the Theo van Gogh Foundation to the Vincent van Gogh Foundation; given on loan until the opening of the museum on 2 June 1973 to the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; on permanent loan to the Rijksmuseum Vincent van Gogh from 2 June 1973 and at the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, since 1 July 1994.
- artist
- Vincent van Gogh
- Credits (obliged to state)
- Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)
London, The Courtauld Gallery, Van Gogh's Self-Portraits, 3 February-8 May 2022
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Ongekend. Verhalen rond 10 jaar aanwinsten, 5 February-12 September 2021
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, In the Picture. Kunstenaarsportretten, 21 February-30 August 2020
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Van Gogh & Japan, 24 March-24 June 2018
Kyoto, National Museum of Modern Art (Kyoto), Van Gogh & Japan, 20 January-4 March 2018
Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Van Gogh & Japan, 24 October 2017-8 January 2018
Sapporo, Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art, Van Gogh & Japan, 26 August-15 October 2017
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, De waanzin nabij. Van Gogh en zijn ziekte, 15 July-25 September 2016
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Munch : Van Gogh, 24 September 2015-17 January 2016
Oslo, Munch Museum, Van Gogh + Munch, 9 May-6 September 2015
Paris, Musée d'Orsay, Van Gogh/Artaud. Le suicidé de la société, 11 March-6 July 2014
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Van Gogh aan het werk, 1 May 2013-13 January 2014
Amsterdam, Hermitage Amsterdam, Vincent. Het Van Gogh Museum in de Hermitage Amsterdam, 29 September 2012-25 April 2013
Genoa, Palazzo Ducale (Genua), Van Gogh e il viaggio di Gauguin, 12 November 2011-30 April 2012
Barcelona, Museu Picasso, Devorar París. Picasso 1900-1907, 1 July-16 October 2011
London, Royal Academy of Arts, The Real Van Gogh: the Artist and His Letters, 23 January-18 April 2010, no. 68
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Van Goghs brieven. De kunstenaar aan het woord, 9 October 2009-3 January 2010
Paris, Grand Palais, Picasso et les maîtres, 8 October 2008-2 February 2009
New York, Neue Galerie, Van Gogh and Expressionism, 23 March-7 July 2007, no. zonder nr.
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Van Gogh en het expressionisme, 24 November 2006-4 March 2007
Nagoya, Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art, Van Gogh in context, 26 July-25 September 2005, no. 59
Ōsaka, National Museum of Art, Van Gogh in context, 31 May-18 July 2005, no. 59
Tokyo, National Museum of Modern Art (Tokyo), Van Gogh in context, 23 March-22 May 2005, no. 59
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, De keuze van Vincent. Van Goghs Musée imaginaire, 14 February-15 June 2003
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Van Gogh en Gauguin. Het atelier van het zuiden, 9 February-2 June 2002, no. 54
Chicago, Art Institute of Chicago, Van Gogh and Gauguin. The Studio of the South, 22 September 2001-13 January 2002, no. 54
Boston, Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), Van Gogh. Face to Face, 2 July-24 September 2000
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Van Gogh's Van Goghs. Masterpieces from the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, 17 January-16 May 1999, no. 39
Washington, National Gallery of Art, Van Gogh's Van Goghs. Masterpieces from the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, 4 October 1998-3 January 1999, no. 39
Hamburg, Hamburger Kunsthalle, Van Gogh. Die Pariser Selbstbildnisse, 17 March-28 May 1995, no. zonder nr.
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Parijse zelfportretten van Vincent van Gogh, 10 June-9 October 1994
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum Vincent van Gogh, Vincent van Gogh en de moderne kunst 1890-1914, 16 November 1990-18 February 1991, no. 14
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum Vincent van Gogh, Vincent van Gogh. Schilderijen, 30 March-29 July 1990, no. 34
Paris, Musée d'Orsay, Van Gogh à Paris, 2 February-15 May 1988, no. 68
Bern, Kunstmuseum (Bern), Vincent van Gogh. Collection du Musée National Vincent van Gogh à Amsterdam, 25 January-15 April 1973, no. 17
Strasbourg, Musée d'Art Moderne et Contemporain Strasbourg, Vincent van Gogh. Collection du Musée National Vincent van Gogh à Amsterdam, 22 October 1972-15 January 1973, no. 17
Bordeaux, Musée des Beaux-Arts (Bordeaux), Vincent van Gogh. Collection du Musée National Vincent van Gogh à Amsterdam, 21 April-20 June 1972, no. 16
New York, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 14 February-4 April 1971, no. 24
San Francisco, M.H. de Young Memorial Museum, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 11 December 1970-31 January 1971, no. 24
Baltimore, Baltimore Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 11 October-29 November 1970, no. 24
Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), Philadelphia Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 28 February-5 April 1970, no. 24
Saint Louis, City Art Museum of Saint Louis, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 20 December 1969-1 February 1970, no. 24
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 14 October-1 December 1969, no. 24
London, Hayward Gallery, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings of the Vincent van Gogh Foundation Amsterdam, 23 October 1968-12 January 1969, no. 99
Gothenburg, Göteborgs Konstmuseum, Vincent van Gogh. Målningar, akvareller, teckningar, 30 December 1965-20 February 1966, no. 27
Ghent, Museum voor Schone Kunsten (Gent), Vincent van Gogh. Schilderijen, aquarellen, tekeningen, 19 February-28 March 1965, no. 12
Charleroi, Palais des Beaux-Arts (Charleroi), Vincent van Gogh. Schilderijen, aquarellen, tekeningen, 9 January-9 February 1965, no. 12
New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 2 April-28 June 1964, no. 22
Washington, Washington Gallery of Modern Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 2 February-19 March 1964, no. 22
Humlebaek, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Vincent van Gogh. Malerier og tegninger, 24 October-15 December 1963, no. 22
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, 150 jaar Nederlandse kunst. Schilderijen, beelden, tekeningen, grafiek 1813-1963, 6 July-29 September 1963, no. 101
Kansas City, William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art and Mary Atkins Museum of Fine Arts, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 7 February-26 March 1963, no. 31
Detroit, Detroit Institute of Arts, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 11 December 1962-29 January 1963, no. 31
Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), Carnegie Institute, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 18 October-4 November 1962, no. 31
Boston, Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 22 March-29 April 1962, no. 31
Buffalo (New York), Albright Art Gallery, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 30 January-11 March 1962, no. 31
Cleveland, Cleveland Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 5 December 1961-14 January 1962, no. 31
Baltimore, Baltimore Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 18 October-26 November 1961, no. 31
Toronto, The Art Gallery of Toronto, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings-Drawings / Tableaux-Dessins, 10 February-12 March 1961, no. 35
Winnipeg, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings-Drawings / Tableaux-Dessins, 29 December 1960-31 January 1961, no. 35
Ottawa, National Gallery of Canada, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings-Drawings / Tableaux-Dessins, 17 November-18 December 1960, no. 35
Montréal, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings-Drawings / Tableaux-Dessins, 6 October-6 November 1960, no. 35
Utrecht, Centraal Museum, Vincent van Gogh schilderijen en tekeningen, verzameling Ir. V.W. van Gogh, 18 December 1959-1 February 1960, no. 27
Seattle, Seattle Art Museum, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 7 March-19 April 1959, no. 29
Portland (Oregon), Portland Art Museum (Oregon), Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 28 January-1 March 1959, no. 29
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 10 December 1958-18 January 1959, no. 29
San Francisco, M.H. de Young Memorial Museum, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 6 October-30 November 1958, no. 29
Mons, Museum voor Schoone Kunsten, Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890). Son art et ses amis, 22 March-5 May 1958, no. 18
Deventer, De Muntentoren, Schilderijen van Vincent van Gogh, 31 January-20 February 1958, no. 13
Schiedam, Stedelijk Museum Schiedam, Vincent van Gogh, 21 December 1957-27 January 1958, no. 15
Leiden, Museum De Lakenhal, Vincent van Gogh, 9 November-16 December 1957, no. 15
Marseille, Musée Cantini, Vincent van Gogh, 12 March-28 April 1957, no. 36
Breda, Cultureel Centrum De Beyerd, Vincent van Gogh, 2-24 February 1957, no. 42
Newcastle upon Tyne, Laing Art Gallery, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings & Drawings, Mainly from the Collection of Ir. V.W. van Gogh, 11 February-24 March 1956, no. 33
Manchester (England), Manchester City Art Gallery, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings & Drawings, Mainly from the Collection of Ir. V.W. van Gogh, 17 December 1955-4 February 1956, no. 33
Liverpool, Walker Art Gallery, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings & Drawings, Mainly from the Collection of Ir. V.W. van Gogh, 29 October-10 December 1955, no. 33
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Vincent van Gogh, 24 June-September 1955, no. 113a
Antwerp, Zaal Comité voor Artistieke Werking, Vincent van Gogh, 7 May-19 June 1955, no. 208
New York, Wildenstein & Company, Vincent van Gogh Loan Exhibition, 24 March-30 April 1955, no. 25
Bern, Kunstmuseum (Bern), Vincent van Gogh, 27 November 1954-30 January 1955, no. 37
Zurich, Kunsthaus Zürich, Vincent van Gogh, 9 October-21 November 1954, no. 27
Toledo (Ohio), Toledo Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh 1853-1890, 7 March-30 April 1954, no. 64
Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), Philadelphia Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh 1853-1890, 2 January-28 February 1954, no. 64
Saint Louis, City Art Museum of Saint Louis, Vincent van Gogh 1853-1890, 17 October-13 December 1953, no. 64
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Eeuwfeest Vincent van Gogh, 23 July-20 September 1953, no. 65
Otterlo, Kröller-Müller Museum, Eeuwfeest Vincent van Gogh, 24 May-19 July 1953, no. 65
The Hague, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, Vincent van Gogh, 30 March-17 May 1953, no. 96
Eindhoven, Van Abbemuseum, Vincent van Gogh, 22 March-4 May 1952, no. 34
Enschede, Rijksmuseum Twenthe, Vincent van Gogh, 20 February-16 March 1952, no. 34
Alkmaar, Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar, Tentoonstelling schilderijen van Vincent van Gogh, 1 December 1951-1 January 1952, no. 10
Nijmegen, Waaggebouw, Tentoonstelling schilderijen van Vincent van Gogh, 3-26 November 1951, no. 10
Grenoble, Musée de Grenoble, Vincent van Gogh, 30 March-2 May 1951, no. 26
Lyon, Musée de Lyon, Vincent van Gogh, 5 February-27 March 1951, no. 26
Hilversum, Raadhuis Hilversum, Tentoonstelling Vincent van Gogh, 7 October-5 November 1950, no. 14
New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh Paintings and Drawings. A Special Loan Exhibition, 21 October 1949-15 January 1950, no. 61
The Hague, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, Vincent van Gogh. Collectie ir. V.W. van Gogh, 12 October 1948-10 January 1949, no. 106
Oslo, Kunstnernes Hus, Vincent van Gogh, 24 April-15 May 1948, no. 22
Bergen (Norway), Kunstforening, Vincent van Gogh, 23 March-18 April 1948, no. 22
Glasgow, City Art Gallery, Vincent van Gogh 1853-1890. An Exhibition of Paintings and Drawings, 21 February-14 March 1948, no. 31
Birmingham (England), City Art Gallery, Vincent van Gogh 1853-1890. An Exhibition of Paintings and Drawings, 24 January-14 February 1948, no. 31
London, Tate Gallery, Vincent van Gogh 1853-1890. An Exhibition of Paintings and Drawings, 10 December 1947-14 January 1948, no. 31
Groningen, Museum van Oudheden, Vincent van Gogh, 18 October-16 November 1947, no. 43
Mons, Museum voor Schoone Kunsten, Vincent van Gogh, 27 December 1946-January 1947, no. 75
Luik, Museum voor Schoone Kunsten, Vincent van Gogh, 12 October-3 November 1946, no. 75
Copenhagen, Charlottenborg, Vincent van Gogh. Udstilling af malerier og tegninger, 22 June-14 July 1946, no. 43
Malmö, Malmö Museum, Vincent van Gogh. Utställning anordnad till förmån för svenska hollandshjälpen, 29 May-16 June 1946, no. 41
Gothenburg, Göteborgs Konstmuseum, Vincent van Gogh. Utställning anordnad till förmån för svenska hollandshjälpen, 3-26 May 1946, no. 41
Stockholm, Nationalmuseum (Stockholm), Vincent van Gogh. Utställning anordnad till förmån för svenska hollandshjälpen, 8 March-28 April 1946, no. 41
Heerlen, Raadhuis Heerlen, Vincent van Gogh, 8-24 February 1946, no. 40
Maastricht, Bonnefantenmuseum, Vincent van Gogh, 12-28 January 1946, no. 40
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Vincent van Gogh, 14 September-1 December 1945, no. zonder nr.
Paris, Les nouveaux musées, Quai de Tokio, La vie et l'oeuvre de Van Gogh, June-October 1937, no. 5
San Francisco, California Palace of the Legion of Honor, Vincent van Gogh, 28 April-24 May 1936, no. 38
Cleveland, Cleveland Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh, 25 March-19 April 1936, no. 38
Boston, Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), Vincent van Gogh, 19 February-15 March 1936, no. 38
Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), Philadelphia Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh, 11 January-10 February 1936, no. 38
New York, Museum of Modern Art (New York), Vincent van Gogh, 5 November 1935-5 January 1936, no. 38
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Vincent van Gogh. Werken uit de verzameling van Ir. V.W. van Gogh, in bruikleen afgestaan aan de Gemeente Amsterdam, 14 February 1931-1931, no. 58
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Vincent van Gogh en zijn tijdgenooten, 6 September-2 November 1930, no. 64
Amsterdam, Maatschappij Arti et Amicitiae, Tentoonstelling Nederlandsche portretkunst, December 1929, no. 30
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Vincent van Gogh tentoonstelling ter gelegenheid van het internationale jeugdfeest der S.J.I., 15 May-15 June 1926, no. 41
Paris, Musée du Louvre, Exposition Hollandaise. Tableaux, aquarelles et dessins anciens et modernes, April-May 1921, no. 163
Hamburg, Galerie Commeter, V. van Gogh, September 1914
Cologne, Kölner Kunstverein, V. van Gogh, July-August 1914
Berlin, Kunstsalon Paul Cassirer, Vincent van Gogh 30. März 1853 - 29. Juli 1890. Zehnte Ausstellung, 1 June-5 July 1914, no. 39
Antwerp, Zaal Comité voor Artistieke Werking, L'art contemporain. Salon 1914 / Kunst van Heden. Tentoonstelling 1914, 7 March-5 April 1914, no. 67
Berlin, Kunstsalon Paul Cassirer, [titel onbekend], 9 May-May 1909
Berlin, Kunstsalon Paul Cassirer, [titel onbekend], October 1908
Amsterdam, Kunsthandel C.M. van Gogh, Vincent van Gogh tentoonstelling, 3-24 September 1908, no. 26
Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurter Kunstverein, V. van Gogh Ausstellung, 14-28 June 1908, no. 32
Berlin, Kunstsalon Paul Cassirer, VII. Ausstellung, 5-22 March 1908, no. 14
Paris, Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, Cent tableaux de Vincent van Gogh, 6 January-1 February 1908, no. 29
The Hague, Kunsthandel C.M. van Gogh, Vincent van Gogh tentoonstelling, Summer 1908
Rotterdam, Rotterdamsche Kunstkring, Keuze-tentoonstelling van Nederlandsche portretkunst der laatste vijftig jaren (schilderijen en waterverfteekeningen), 16 March-14 April 1907, no. 11
Leiden, Leidsche Kunstvereeniging, Tentoonstelling van schilderijen door Vincent van Gogh, 7-16 October 1905, no. 27
Utrecht, Vereeniging Voor de Kunst, Tentoonstelling van schilderijen door Vincent van Gogh, 9 September-2 October 1905, no. 27
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Tentoonstelling Vincent van Gogh, 15 July-1 September 1905, no. 89
Gruetzner Robins, Anna, 'Manet and the Post-Impressionists': a checklist of exhibits, p. 790
