Paul Gauguin – Self-Portrait National Gallery of Art (Washington)

The composition presents a frontal depiction of a man against a flat, saturated orange background. The figure is positioned slightly off-center, his gaze directed towards the viewer with a contemplative and somewhat melancholic expression. His face, rendered in simplified planes of color – pinkish flesh tones contrasted with darker shadows – suggests an introspective state. A prominent mustache dominates the lower portion of his face, adding to the overall impression of seriousness. The hair is dark, thick, and falls around his shoulders, further emphasizing a sense of unkemptness or perhaps deliberate disregard for conventional appearances.
The artist has placed a branch laden with fruit – specifically apples – above the man’s head. This element introduces a symbolic layer that warrants consideration. Apples frequently carry connotations of knowledge, temptation, and mortality in Western art history; their presence here could suggest an awareness of these themes within the subjects own life or artistic pursuits. The halo-like shape formed by the branch further reinforces this potential association with elevated status or spiritual contemplation, albeit presented in a deliberately unconventional manner.
The man’s hands are intertwined with the branch, his fingers gripping it firmly. This gesture is significant; it implies a connection to nature and perhaps a desire for sustenance or grounding. The color palette employed – dominated by oranges, yellows, greens, and browns – creates a sense of warmth but also hints at an underlying complexity. The application of paint appears deliberate and somewhat rough, contributing to the overall feeling of directness and emotional honesty.
The signature in the lower left corner is rendered in a stylized script, adding another layer of personal identification to the work. Overall, the painting conveys a sense of self-examination and a complex relationship with identity, nature, and perhaps even spiritual or philosophical concepts. The deliberate simplification of form and the use of symbolic elements suggest an artist grappling with profound questions about existence and his place within it.