The artwork titled “Self-Portrait (in red overall)” was created by the renowned artist Joan Miró in 1919. This oil on canvas painting adheres to the Fauvism movement and measures 75 x 60 cm. It is categorized as a self-portrait and is part of the collection at the Musée Picasso in Paris, France.
The artwork presents a frontal depiction of the artist, characterized by the fauvist style which emphasizes painterly qualities and strong color over the representational or realistic values retained by Impressionism. Joan Miró has rendered his likeness with a level of stylization and simplification, yet with a close attention to detail. The subject, presumably Miró himself, gazes out towards the viewer with an expression that could be interpreted as contemplative or introspective.
One of the most striking features of this self-portrait is the vibrant red of the overalls, a color choice typical of Fauvism’s bold palette. This color dominates the composition, contrasting with the more subdued background and the flesh tones of the figure. The use of heavy outlines and flattened areas of color show a departure from classical portraiture techniques, leaning towards the modernist exploration of form and color that would become increasingly pronounced in Miró’s later works. Despite the seeming simplicity of the work, there’s a nuanced approach to the treatment of the fabric’s texture and the subject’s features that invites closer inspection.
