Vincent van Gogh is best known for his self-portraits, of which over 35 are known to exist. These paintings give us an insight into his appearance, revealing that he had red hair, green eyes, and an angular face. However, each self-portrait is unique, highlighting the difficulty of capturing oneself accurately. Vincent painted these self-portraits not out of vanity, but because he needed practice painting people and struggled to find models. To save money, he even painted some self-portraits on the back of other paintings. These self-portraits also provide glimpses into Vincent’s personality, often showing him as serious and concentrated. Three self-portraits depict the aftermath of Vincent cutting off his left ear, reflecting his troubled mental state at the time. Vincent’s self-portraits have been immensely influential in shaping our image of him as a tortured artist.
https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/art-and-stories/stories/all-stories/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-van-goghs-self-portraits