![]() “No-one is entirely free from narcissism” Christian Schad, date unkwown, quoted in Bond and Woodall 2005įrancis Bacon’s Three Studies for a Self-Portrait triptych was created from 1979-1980 when the artist was entering his seventies. Schad’s transparent shirt and narcissus flower in the background of the painting are references to the artist’s narcissism and shallowness, qualities he believed were nearly inescapable. ![]() With a piercing gaze, he stares down his viewers while his companion shows the side of her face, marked with a scar - an allusion to the freggio scars he saw on women in Naples, a demarcation of possession from the women’s lovers and a threat to potential rivals. Rife with symbolism, the artist sits in a domestic scene, clad in a sheer shirt in front of a naked lover. The Dada and New Objectivity artist’s 1920s works were full of the postwar anxieties felt in his city of Vienna, and his 1927 self portrait is just one example of such a piece. “They say-and I am willing to believe it-that it is difficult to know yourself-but it isn’t easy to paint yourself either.” Vincent van Gogh in a letter to his brother Théo, September 1889Īs the viewer gazes upon Christian Schad’s works, they are often left with a disquieting feeling put in a state of unease by the unwavering eye contact of the portraits’ subjects. These many portraits would go on to become iconic works, some of the best-known portraiture in the world, and stunning examples of the budding modern period in painting. The swirling brushstrokes of heavy paint show the artist’s bold experimentation with color and form - often portraying his vibrant red hair in contrast to a complementary background though his appearance varies widely in accordance with his physical and mental health. It has been theorized that during this time Van Gogh was struggling financially, but still wanted to practice and experiment on painting people, thus, he painted himself. ![]() In his lifetime Van Gogh completed over 35 self portraits, the majority of which were realized while he was in Paris from 1886-1888. Vincent Van Gogh’s many self portraits are among the most celebrated of all time. ![]()
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