SelfPortrait with straw hat IV by Vincent Van Gogh

This striking front-facing portrait, executed by the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, bears witness to his chromatic research during his Parisian period. In this intimate study entitled “SelfPortrait with straw hat IV”, the artist explores the contrasts of complementary colors within the Post-Impressionist movement. He uses his own image to experiment with new techniques of dividing light. This work expresses deep introspection through a singular physical and psychological presence.

The subject is depicted in a bust, wearing a bright yellow straw hat outlined with a clear blue ribbon. He wears an elegant jacket of warm ochre with delicate bluish highlights, a well-fitted stiff white collar, and a small dark bow tie. His emaciated face is characterized by short red hair and a well-trimmed red beard around his closed lips. His grey-blue gaze, extremely fixed and intense, is directed straight at the viewer with a gravity tinged with melancholy. The background is composed of a dynamic, dense network of blue-violet strokes arranged in vibrant rays all around his head, creating a spectacular glowing halo effect.

The artist’s technique reveals a remarkable texture work on cardboard. The strokes of oil paint, applied in small juxtaposed hatches, create a sensation of continuous luminous vibration. This mastery of the brush gives the portrait an extraordinary psychological vitality and a captivating depth.