Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear

from the sources

• The painting is held in the Courtauld collection and is displayed at Somerset House. en.wikipedia.org

  “The painting is in the collection of the Courtauld Institute of Art and on display in the Gallery at Somerset House.”

• Samuel Courtauld bought the painting in 1928. en.wikipedia.org

  “In 1928 Samuel Courtauld purchased it and it is currently in the collection of the Courtauld Gallery in London.”

• Julien Tanguy owned the painting when Van Gogh died, though how he acquired it is unclear. en.wikipedia.org

  “At the time of Van Gogh's death, this painting was in the possession of Julien (Père) Tanguy, although it was unclear how he had obtained it.”

• The painting was shown in Paris in 1901 and 1905 in major Van Gogh retrospectives. en.wikipedia.org

  “It was exhibited in Paris 1901 and 1905 in a major Van Gogh retrospective.”

• A 17 January 1889 letter to Theo mentions a new self-portrait, believed to be this painting. en.wikipedia.org

  “In a 17 January 1889 letter to his brother Theo, Van Gogh mentioned he had made a new self-portrait, which is believed to be this one.”

• Van Gogh used thick impasto strokes in the painting to give the composition more energy and passion. en.wikipedia.org

  “Van Gogh used Impasto painting strokes, a technique where paint is laid thickly on a surface to show marks of the painting knife, to give the composition more energy and passion.”

• Because Van Gogh painted using a mirror, the bandage appears on the right ear although the left ear was the one he cut. en.wikipedia.org

  “Later that night, he sliced off his own left ear, which is not apparent in the portrait since he used a mirror to paint it, making it seem like the right ear is bandaged instead, and brought it to a prostitute in Arles named Rachel.”

• The background includes a Japanese woodblock print, Geishas in a Landscape, attributed to Satō Torakiyo and dated to the 1870s. en.wikipedia.org

  “Behind him is an open window, a canvas on an easel, with a few indistinguishable marks, as well as a Japanese woodblock print, Geishas in a Landscape made by Satō Torakiyo in the 1870s.”