Self portrait by Vincent van Gogh

Van Gogh made numerous self-portraits during his Paris years of 1886-88, using them to practice the Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist techniques he was absorbing from direct contact with the avant-garde. This 1887 self-portrait at the Kröller-Müller is one of a significant series that documents his rapid artistic evolution: compare his sombre Dutch self-portraiture with the lighter, more coloristic Parisian versions, and the transformation is striking. Paris gave Van Gogh his palette; the self-portraits are where he tested each new discovery most immediately. The Kröller-Müller's version ranks among the important documents of this transformation.

The self-portrait uses Van Gogh's developing Impressionist approach — lighter palette, more varied and visible brushwork than his Dutch period. The face is built from small, directional strokes that follow the forms, reflecting his study of Pointillist method. The overall effect is more vibrant and chromatic than his Nuenen self-portraits, the transformation of palette visible at a glance.