Self-Portrait Dedicated to Carrière
1888 or 1889
Gauguin serves up a surprisingly humble and weary version of himself here, far from the exotic, brooding persona he later cultivated in Tahiti. He dedicated this portrait to his friend Eugène Carrière—a painter famous for gloomy, monochromatic works—perhaps as a colorful counterpoint to his friend's style. You can see the inscription 'to my comrade' scribbled in the top left, a rare moment of camaraderie from an artist often known for his ego. The rough, scratchy brushwork and the jarring green background signal his break from traditional Impressionism, hinting at the bold Symbolist style he was just beginning to forge.
- Technique
- Oil on canvas
Location: Musée d'Orsay, Paris
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