“Self-portrait with Bandaged Ear,” created by Vincent van Gogh in 1889 in Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône, France, is a renowned piece of Post-Impressionist art. Executed in oil on canvas, this self-portrait measures 51 by 45 centimeters and falls under the genre of self-portraiture.
In the artwork, Vincent van Gogh is depicted with his head turned slightly to the left, allowing the viewer to see the bandage wrapped around his ear, a symbol of his infamous self-mutilation. Van Gogh’s facial expression is contemplative and his eyes appear somewhat weary, reflecting his tumultuous mental state at the time. He is dressed in a heavy, dark green overcoat with a fur-trimmed hat, and he smokes a pipe, from which wisps of smoke curl upward, set against a vibrant background of red and orange hues. The bold brushstrokes and vivid colors are characteristic of Van Gogh’s distinctive Post-Impressionist style, conveying intense emotion and a deep, personal narrative through his own visage.
