Up Close With Van Gogh: Self-Portraits

Most of all I can’t believe the atmosphere of trust in this gallery setting — there are no barriers or alarms — you can (within reason) stick your face right into a Van Gogh and see all the colours and textures — which is amazing!

It’s at the new and shinily improved Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House….Enjoy *that* staircase and the beauty of Somerset House piazza too!

Such in one of the straw hats!

Or this very moving self-portrait as he attempted to paint therapeutically

Or the blobs of paint in his palette — look out for the signature too!

Note the jaunty moustache here!

You can also see Van Gogh matt rather than textured and the terribly sad picture of a chair, made as a companion piece to one representing Gauguin. The more I learn about Van Gogh, the more I wish his art and talent had been appreciated then — I love his heart for people, wanting to be a teacher and missionary and care for the economically disadvantaged and surround his friends with stars.

@ Portraits are all photographs of Vincent Van Gogh’s self portraits from the Courtauld Gallery website (for the Morgan Stanley exhibition) and used purely to illustrated the author’s points, not for gain or profit — 15th April 2022