Vincent van Gogh Skateboard Triptych – Self Portrait (1889)

Van Gogh like many artists in the history of art used himself as a model producing over 43 self-portraits during his lifetime. Like the old masters, van Gogh managed to paint himself critically, often revealing important psychological moments throughout the artist’s life. Such is the case of van Gogh’s Self-Portrait made in 1889 while interned at an Asylum in Saint-Remy. The arabesque figures in the background along with the bright aquamarine color are arguably indicative of the van Gogh’s mental state while interned at the psychiatric facility. Van Gogh’s static posture immediately contrasts with the dynamic absinthe-like color of the arabesque background. In this head-and-shoulders view, the artist is wearing a suit and not the pea jacket he usually worked in. Attention is focused on the face. His features are hard and emaciated, his green-rimmed eyes seem intransigent and anxious.