Self-Portrait with Gray Felt Hat 1887

Vincent van Gogh painted this self-portrait with oil on canvas. It's one of many he created between 1886 and 1888, when he lived with his brother Theo in Paris. During this period, Van Gogh experimented with Impressionism and other contemporary styles. This work, however, suggests something deeper: a man grappling with his identity, against the backdrop of societal expectations and personal turmoil. His piercing gaze and the somewhat rigid formality of his attire—the hat, the jacket, the carefully knotted tie—hint at a struggle to present a composed self to the world. It is well known that Van Gogh lived with mental health issues throughout his life. This painting might be seen as an exploration of how mental health is intrinsically linked to one's self-perception and social roles. The portrait evokes a sense of melancholy, a man in conflict with himself and his place in the world.