Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent Van Gogh, Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear, 1889, Oil on Canvas.

1. Many artists like to idealize themselves, as their self-portraits will be how they are remembered. Why would Van Gogh highlight his weakness? Remember to IDENTIFY his weakness in your answer.

Vincent Van Gogh had sliced off his left ear lobe after a quarrel with his friend, Paul Gauguin, afterwhich he painted a self portrait of himself with his left bandaged ear, highlighting his inability to keep his emotions in check as his weakness. Van Gogh wanted to highlight his weakness probably as a sign of guilt or remorse on his part for quarreling with Paul Gauguin, to show that he is aware of his inability to contain himself and that he has already moved on from the incident and wish to reconcile.

2. What is the mood, or feeling, of this work of art? Please use the painting, as well as historical knowledge to justify your answer.

In the painting, Van Gogh has a somber expression on his face and he looks sad but calm. His eyes show a lot of emotions and intensity, as they seem to be focusing on something somewhere, contemplating. Van Gog is wearing a green coat and a black coloured fur hat which suggests that there is coldness in the location he is in, symbolising the coldness he has in his heart as a result of the quarrel with Paul Gauguin. All these elements give the artwork a very somber and serious mood.

The colours used are mainly monochromatic as the colours used are mainly green; Green is used to model and define the features on his face and to colour his eyes, while the background is almost completely green except for the Japanese print and easel. This use of monochromatic and cool colours give viewers a calm feeling.