Van Gogh painted many self-portraits, more than 20 in Paris alone. In each one he looks different. He saw these self-portraits as a way of practising the art of portraiture. So he experimented with facial expressions,
colours and forms.
In Paris, Van Gogh had discovered the work of Adolphe Monticelli (1824-1886). He admired this older French painter for his rich colour palette and thick application of paint.
In
this self-portrait he tried out Monticelli's approach to colour and light effects. The pale tones of his face stand out starkly against the warm, dark red background.
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