Sunday, November 4, 2007

Writing and Visual Imagination: Self-portraits



Monday: Computer Lab. Search the internet for self-portraits by the following artists: Rembrandt van Rijn, Vincent Van Gogh, Kathe Kollwitz, Paul Gauguin, Gregory Gillespie (see image to right), Pablo Picasso, Paul Cezanne, Susanna Coffey, Brett Gamache (a good friend of mine).

Create a Word document.

1. For each artist, record the title, year of completion, and country of origin.

2. Identify three comparable (composition, color, mood, etc.) self-portraits from the list. Construct a paragraph which identifies the parallels between these 3 works.

3. Identify the strongest self-portrait. In a paragraph, explain the elements which make it stand out; use your vocabulary words.

4. Typically, self-portraits are not lucrative efforts for living artists. Why might an artist choose to focus on self-portraits? What may drive an artist, like Rembrandt, to devote so much time and effort towards depicting himself? Explain in paragraph form.

5. On Thursday, you will use the Infocus machine to share an image with your classmates. Find an easily retrievable image which best embodies your concept and name it here. You will be asked to share as much information regarding the piece as possible, so do some research. Also- steer clear of apocryphal resources.

6. Proofread and post your document here.

Any additional time (wow- you're efficient!)? Work on your concept-folio.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cameron Morton


Writing and Visual Imagination
1-
• Rembrandt “The artist at his easel” 1660 Paris
• Susanna Coffey “Portrait In Red Jersey” 1994 U.S.A
• Brett Gamache “Self Portrait In Civil War Hat” 2006 U.S.A
• Pablo Picasso “Self Portrait” 1972 Spain
• Vincent Van Gogh “Self Portrait” 1889 France
• Kathe Kollwitz “self Portrait” 1923 Germany
• Paul Gauguin “ Self portrait with Yellow Christ” 1889 France/ Tahiti
• Gregory Gillespie “Self Portrait In Studio” 1977-76 U.S.A.
• Paul Cezane “Self Portrait With Rose Background” 1875


2-
All three of these self portraits are done in different styles. Coffey’s portrait is a very simple straight on view of her head, which is the usual angle in which her paintings are done. Brett Gamache’s has a very interesting painting with darker colors and more detail compared to the other two paintings and he is at a sideways angle. Pablo Picasso’s self portrait is very, Picasso like. The reason Picasso self portrait is strong and powerful is because it is his last one before he died.

3-
Brett Gamache’s Self portrait stood out to me the most out of the three I looked at. From being somewhat of an artist myself I must say his technique and his finished product are the most professionally done. This says a lot considering the fact that out of all the artists on the list, he is the least famous. This says a lot for my concept also which is “Is it Art?” I find it incredible that artists who do not do as good a job as someone who is not necessarily a “famous” artist.

4-
Depicting themselves in self portraits are ways in which to immortalize themselves. If they create a self portrait for people to view it has the potential to be around for eternity. This way, not only can they express themselves in there art, but live on after they die.

Anonymous said...

1. Rembrandt: Self Portrait, 1660, Amsterdam
Van Gogh: Self Portrait, 1887, Paris
Kathe Kollwitz: Self-portrait with Hand on Brow, 1910, Germany
Gauguin: Self Portrait with Halo, 1889, Washington
Gregory Gillespie: Self Portrait in Studio, 1976, Private collection
Pablo Picasso: Self Portrait, 1896, Spain
Paul Cezanne: Self Portrait, 1879, Moscow
Susanna Coffey: Celeste, 2006, Boston
Brett Gamache: Self Portrait, 2006, United States
2. Rembrandts, Van Gogh’s, and Picasso’s “young” self portrait are all show the top half of the person, in a traditional style. The colors are all dark and rich. The tones all seem warm, and all of the artists have smug looks on their faces.
3. Picasso’s young self portrait stands out the most. This is partly because of the rich colors he uses. The contrast between his coat and the background is minimal, which helps them to blend together in an interesting way.
4. Artists like self portraits because they are smug and self centered. They love looking at themselves, and get excited when others look at them. If an artist does a self portrait for any other reason, it would probably be that other famous artists have done self portraits, and thus they should do it too.

Anonymous said...

1.) Rembrant van Rijn:

Title-Portrait of Artist at his Easel
1660
Oil on Canvas
Dutch Painter

Vincent Van Gogh:

Title-Deutsch: Selbsportrat mit grauem Hut
1887
Amsterdam

Kathe Kollwitz:

Title-Kathe Kollwitz
1927
Germany

Paul Gaugin:

Title-Paul Gaugin self portrait
1896
Oil on Canvas
Museo de Arte, Sao Paolo, Brazil

Gregory Gillespie:

Title-Gregory Gillespie self portrait in studio
1976
Forum Gallery

Pablo Picasso:

Title-Pablo Picasso self portrait
1896
Oil on canvas
Museo Picasso, Barcelona, Spain

Paul Cezanne:

Title-Paul Cezanne self portrait
1879
Oil on canvas
The Pushkin Museum of Fine Art, Moscow, Russia

Susanna Coffey:

Title-Susanna Coffey self portrait
2002
Oil on panel
America
Tibor de Nagy Gallery

Brett Gamache:

Title-Self portrait in civil war hat
2003
Oil on linen
United States
American


2.) Three self portraits from the list that are similar in color, composition, and mood are Paul Cezanne, Pablo Picasso, and Paul Gaugin because they are all Oil on canvas which is the composition. The colors in these three are all very dark which represents a very negative, sad, and bad mood. The colors are all dark, like dark green, brown, and a little grey. These are the similarities between these three paintings.

3.) The strongest self portrait from the list was Vincent Van Gogh because he facial expressions are so strong and send you a message through the painting. It represents control, and a strong sense of self. It makes you want to respect him more. The movement in his paintings from his brushstrokes makes it seem more real and believable. The colors represent the emotion and feelings in the painting and make the image stronger and more real.

4.) Artists may choose to focus on self portraits because they feel that they have something to say about themselves and it might represent their works of art better. Every time people see their self portrait it may remind them of other work that they have done. They might spend a lot of time depicting themselves because the way that they feel might be similar to the feelings in other paintings. They might want to show their fans and audiences why all of their artwork is so sad or evil or happy. You might see why they feel the way they feel in their self portrait.


Image that embodies my concept:

Perseverance

Image: Vincent Van Gogh self portrait
Lindsay Bailey

Anonymous said...

Emily Medeiros

Rembrant


Self-Portrait
1629
15.6 x 12.7 cm.
Alte Pinakothek, Munich






Vincent Van Gogh


Painting Title: Self Portrait 1889
Oil on Canvas, 65 x 54cm - 25 x 21 Inches (approx)
Vincent van Gogh
Famous Dutch artist - Post Impressionist painter
Kathe Kollwitz



Kathe Kollwitz (German)1867-1945, Self-Portrait, Woodcut proof, 1923,
5 7/8 z 6 3/4 in.,

Paul Gauguin



Portrait de l'artiste (Self-portrait)
c. 1893-94 (210 Kb); Oil on canvas, 46 x 38 cm (18 1/8 x 15 in); Musee d'Orsay, Paris



Gregory Gillespie



Gregory Gillespie Self-Portrait with Bread and Chakras 1987-88
oil and alkyd on panel, 89 x 80 inches
Courtesy Forum Gallery
Pablo Picasso



Pablo Picasso. Self-Portrait. 1896. Oil on canvas. Museo Picasso, Barcelona, Spain.
Paul Cezanne


Paul Cézanne. Self-Portrait with a Casquette. 1873-75. Oil on canvas. The Hermitage, St. Petersburg, Russia.
Susanna Coffey

Susanna Coffey
Self Portrait (Cloudy)
2002
Tibor de Nagy Gallery

Brett Gamache



Title: Self Portraits (View slideshow)
Author: Brett Gamache
Number of images: 1
Visits: 57 Comments: 263
Date: Wednesday, 07/June/2006
Description:
Self Portraits



2.
Vincent Van Gogh Paul Gauguin Paul Cezanne



Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Cezanne are three artists who express similar moods and tones throughout their self portraits. Their use of thick, flowing brushstrokes expresses a lively whimsical and expressive mode. Though the colors vary with each one, for example, Van Gogh’s and Cezanne’s self portraits use darker colors whereas Gauguin’s self portrait uses warmer colors, their demeanors remain similar. For instance, neither one of these three men are smiling, which sets dismal and stern tones in the artwork. Also, these three self portraits are all busts, meaning they do not display the whole person. Because these three artists painted their self portraits around the same time (in the late 1890s), their style of apparel is similar, thus establishing a vintage look.

3. In my opinion, Gregory Gillespie’s Self-Portrait with Bread and Chakras 1987-88 is the strongest self portrait. With a medium of oil and alkyd on panel, this self portrait obviously represents the artist and his interests. In this painting, Gregory has displayed various elements and scenery which allows the audience to understand the artist a little bit more. The focal point is still on the artist, but as the eyes of the audience wonder about the painting, they pick up the various elements, for instance, the pots and pans, or the telephone, or even the countertop. Instead of just a bust of the artist, which allows us to examine the facial features, the subject is surrounded by a significant amount of significant space. Therefore, the artist is not the only subject in the self portrait, but another element throughout the painting.


4. Ok, so why wouldn’t anyone want a five million dollar painting of my face in their living room? Obviously, self portraits are not the most lucrative things to do; you might make more money selling lemonade off of route 123. However, it is one of the best ways to really express yourself and the way you feel. If you think you are pretty, why not paint a pretty picture of yourself? If you are having a realy bad day, why not paint an ugly picture of yourself. We buy books with poets who express themselves through writing; isn’t that another type of self expression? We but CDs from musicians who express themselves through their lyrics; isn’t that self expression? So what’s the big deal about a self portrait? I don’t know. Maybe sometimes, someone just wants to be heard through their painting….maybe you can see their struggle through their artwork.

Anonymous said...

1. Rembrandt van Rijn, Self Portrait, 1630:YOC, Nationalmuseum, Stockolm

2. Vincent Van Gogh, Self Portrait With Straw Hat, 1887: YOC, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

3. Kathe Kollwitz, Self Portrait, 1898:YOC, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen, Dresden

4. Paul Gauguin, Self Portrait: Les Miserables, 1888:YOC, Gauguin Museum

5. Gregory Gillespie, Self Portrait In Black Shirt, 1969:YOC, Courtesy Forum Gallery

6. Pablo Picasso, Self Portrait, 1907:YOC, Narodni Gallery, Prague

7. Paul Cezanne, Self Portrait, 1882:YOC, Tate Gallery, London

8. Susana Coffey, Self Portrait (Cassandra will), 2002:YOC, Tibor de Nagy Gallery

9. Brett Gamache, Self Portrait In Civil War Hat, 2003:YOC, United States


Researching many different pieces of art I have come across three pieces that all have some similarity to them, even though they’re all from three different artists. They are Susana Coffey, Brett Gamache and Vincent van Gogh. These three artists just happened to title the paintings as Self Portrait. They all are the only paintings that I found that just happened to paint the person or self from the shoulders up. All of these artists used different things to put their art work on but the media is all oil based paintings. Also all three of these artist don’t just have their paintings labeled “self portrait.” Although they do have self portrait in the title there is also a little extra sliver of a description of the title. For example in Brett Gamache’s it’s titled, ‘Self Portrait in Civil War Hat’. In Susana Coffey’s it’s ‘Self Portrait (Cassandra Will)’ and finally in van Gogh’s it ‘Self Portrait in Straw Hat’.

An artist might do a self portrait to maybe express how they feel about themselves. They already express how they feel or think about something like and object or scenery by their art but not particularly themselves. Yes their art describes visually what the artist sees in something but not really about themselves. Like for example if and artist like Susana Coffey does a self portrait of herself and it’s not really that ‘pretty’ looking of her that she might feel that she’s not that pretty or good looking but now we know that she’s not that modest because if she was she might do a self portrait of herself like a goddess or like a princess, something that is a lot more better looking than what she actually painted.

Anonymous said...

Taylor Ferguson

1.

Rembrandt van Rijn- Self-Portrait at the Age of 34, oil on canvas, 1640; in the National Gallery, London.

Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890),1889 oil on canvas. in the Musee d'Orsay in Paris.


Käthe Kollwitz, Call of Death, Self-Portrait (Ruf des Todes), lithograph, 1935. Collection of Madison Museum of Contemporary Art.

Paul Gauguin. Self-Portrait. 1896. Oil on canvas. Museo de Arte, Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Gregory Gillespie, Self-Portrait in Studio, 1976-77. Private collection, courtesy Forum Gallery oil and magna on wood,

Pablo Picasso. Self-Portrait. 1896. Oil on canvas. Museo Picasso, Barcelona, Spain

Paul Cézanne. Self-Portrait. c. 1879-85. Oil on canvas. The Pushkin Museum of Fine Art, Moscow, Russia.


Susanna Coffey, Day for Night, New York City, New York, Oil on linen, 2005, Collection of the artist


Brett Gamache Self Portrait in civil war hat, oil on linen, 2003


2. Rembrandt van Rijn, Pablo Picasso, and Paul Cézanne’s self portraits have quite a few similarities. In all three portraits, the artist is depicted against a dark field creating a dark mood. Also each artist paints himself as if he blends into the field by using the same basic colors for the entire image. Curiously, all three artists also paint themselves from the waist up and slanted so that they are looking to the right.

3. Pablo Picasso’s Self-Portrait is the strongest self portrait. When one looks at this self portrait, one can almost see Picasso’s personality just from this image. With a dark field, the image creates a dark atmosphere which imposes the sternness of Picasso for his work. However, in the image, Picasso depicts himself as if he is almost leaning back, showing that he has a laid back attitude. Also in his self portrait, he paints himself blending into the dark field behind him which is a unique aspect of the painting because it still stands out.

4. An artist may create a self portrait for recognition. Not only would depicting themselves expose them to the public, but it also is used to find them self on a personal level. When a great artist like Rembrandt paints, it is almost second nature and they pour every emotion and feeling into an image, so when an artist paints a self image, it shows how they really feel about them self. Many people spend their lives interpreting images, because every work of art that an artist creates is a reflection of them self.

Anonymous said...

Three compatible self images are as followed. They are Rembrandt, Paul Cézanne, and Susanna Coffey. When you look at each one of the paintings they set a certain mood. In each of these the mood is sad, unhappy, gloomy, and dreary. They illustrate how they felt during the time when they painted the portrait. The colors in each are darker than other paintings. They are self portraits because the painters themselves constructed a picture of themselves which they show how they see themselves. Those were the artists I chose.

Out of all the self portraits the strongest would have to be Vincent van Gogh. I believe he is the strongest because of the detail in his picture and the colors. Also what makes it the strongest is the texture he used with the background. When you look at his self portrait you see the composition he used in it and how long it took him to create it. That’s why I like it.

I believe the reason why artist spend so much time on making there self portrait is that they want to show the on looker what they view themselves as. For example the artist Susanna Coffey illustrates herself as being ugly but in real life she’s not as ugly as she depicts herself. They like to put their emotions in their work. That is why they spend so much time on it.

Anonymous said...

1.

Self-Portrait at the Age of 34, oil on canvas by Rembrandt van Rijn, 1640; in the National Gallery, London. 102 ´ 80 cm.
Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) painted this self portrait in 1889 using oil on canvas. The painting is 65 by 54 cm and is in the Musee d'Orsay in Paris.
Kathe Kollwitz
Self Portrait
1900
pen and brush with black ink
Private Collection




Portrait de l'artiste (Self-portrait)
c. 1893-94 (210 Kb); Oil on canvas, 46 x 38 cm (18 1/8 x 15 in); Musee d'Orsay, Paris


(Gregory Gillespie, Self-Portrait in Studio, 1976-77. Private collection, courtesy Forum Gallery.)





Pablo Picasso. Self-Portrait. 1896. Oil on canvas. Museo Picasso, Barcelona, Spain

Paul Cézanne. Self-Portrait. c. 1879-85. Oil on canvas. The Pushkin Museum of Fine Art, Moscow, Russia

Susanna Coffey

NA 1999
Self-Portrait, 1994
Oil on linen, 12 x 11 in.
Title: Self Portraits (View slideshow)
Author: Brett Gamache
Number of images: 1
Visits: 57 Comments: 263
Date: Wednesday, 07/June/2006
Description:
Self Portraits









2 Pablo Picasso, Susanna Coffey, and Paul Cezanne all have self portraits that have similarities. One example is that all of them were painted with oil on canvas. A reason why I picked the portraits that I did was because they all seem to be very dark and their really isn’t any emotion expressed in the portrait, also the portraits show the people positioned in a very stiff manor like a yearbook picture there’s not much going on in the portrait. This could say a lot about the painter, their personality of the way they act. For example if the picture was a dark one maybe the painter was encountered with a bad experience that reflects off of their artwork.

3 The strongest self portrait that I picked was Paul Gauguin. I think that this is the best self portrait because of what he did with it. The overall painting of him self is much like the others, very dark and dim. But what stood out to me was what he did with the background. What he did was that he filled the background with color and life that stands out to the viewer. This draws me in to the portrait to wonder what deeper meaning does the images represent, dose the images in the background pertain to him. It not only shows him self but also what he is about.

4. What might make an artist like Rembrandt focus on their self portrait? It could be that painter finds a higher purpose in painting himself then other images because the artist finds him/herself to have more to say through themselves. Rembrandts for instance, all of this self portraits show a lot of emotion in my opinion, a lot of facial gestures, this indicates that maybe that when the viewer sees the image they can also feel what he is feeling almost like they were him, and that is a powerful impact and maybe that is what he was going for.

5. Theologue, Alex Gray

Brandon Bessette

Anonymous said...

Aliya N Little

Rembrandt van Rijn

Gianlorenzo Bernini. Baldacchino 1624 - 33. Gilt bronze, height approx. 100' (30.48 m). Chair of Peter shrine. 1657 - 66. Gilt bronze, marble, stucco, and glass. Pier decorations. 1627 - 41. Gilt bronze and marble. Crossing, Saint Peter's Basilica, Vatican, Rome. Nave extended by Carlo Maderno 1624 - 33.



lf-Portrait Dedicated to Paul Gauguin
1888 (130 Kb); Oil on canvas, 60.5 x 49.4 cm (23 3/4 x 19 1/2 in); Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA


Self-Portrait with Hand on Forehead, etching by Käthe Kollwitz, 1910; in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

B-7792 “Self-Portrait with Hand on Forehead,” Käthe Kollwitz, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., Rosenwald Collection



Portrait de l'artiste (Self-portrait)
c. 1893-94 (210 Kb); Oil on canvas, 46 x 38 cm (18 1/8 x 15 in); Musee d'Orsay, Paris


Gregory Gillespie, Self-Portrait in Studio, 1976-77. Private collection, courtesy Forum Gallery.)



Picasso, Pablo. Self-portrait (1907) National Gallery, Prague, Czech Republic.


Self-Portrait, oil on canvas by Paul Cézanne, c. 1878–80; in the Neue Pinakothek, Munich, Ger.
Susanna Coffey

NA 1999
Self-Portrait, 1994
Oil on linen, 12 x 11 in.




Brett Gamanche

Title: Self Portraits (View slideshow)
Author: Brett Gamache
Number of images: 1
Visits: 73 Comments: 263
Date: Wednesday, 07/June/2006
Description:
Self Portraits


Three comparable composition are Paul Gauguin, Brett Gamache, and Pablo Picasso. All of them use the color red and use bright defining colors. Every self portrait of a man but not an extraordinary man an ordinary one someone you would see in every day life. Everyone self portrait is not proportional their heads seem bigger than their bodies, they eyes are not space out evenly the nose doesn’t seem to fit on the face. Even with these flaws all 3 portraits come together as one and become a really well composed portrait.




Kathe Kollwitz has by far the best self portraits out of the bunch. The way her sticks two one color to the composition makes you focus more on the drawing/painting’s meaning more than colors. Every single drawing provokes you to think about something out of the box and draws you into the photo and into her head. She definitely uses a strong contrast between the white of her canvas to the darkness of her oil paint crayon. In one she specially uses chiaroscuro to show the definite wrinkles in a woman face by adding the light shining onto to her head. Kathe’s paintings have a sense of realism which makes her work that much better.

Some people don’t look for jobs because they need the money they look for them because they love it and it’s what they want to do with their lives. People who devote their lives to self portrait do this because they love it and they couldn’t go through life without this. Some people it’s a guilty pleasure so out of the ordinary for them it just provides them with that missing piece to their life. Other most likely provides them with something good to do when everything seems to be going bad. Self portraits may not be the most lucrative business in the world but can provide you with the most precious gift in the world which money cannot buy. Money isn’t everything.

Anonymous said...

1. Rembrandt van Rijn. Self Portrait at Twenty-Two. 1628. oil on panel. Dutch

Vincent van Gogh. Self Portrait. 1889. Oil on canvas. Dutch

Käthe Kollwitz. Self-portrait with Hand on Brow. 1910. etching. Washington, D.C

Paul Gauguin. Portrait de l'artiste. 1893-94. Oil on canvas. Paris

Gregory Gillespie. Self-Portrait in Studio. 1977. American

Pablo Picasso. Self-Portrait. 1896. Oil on canvas. Museo Picasso, Barcelona, Spain.

Paul Cézanne. Self-Portrait. 1879-85. Oil on canvas. Russia.

Susanna Coffey. Day for Night. New York City, New York. Oil on linen, 2005

Brett Gamache. Self Portraits. 2006. American

3. Susanna Coffey’s Day for Night self portrait is a very strong painting that is different from any ordinary self portrait. Susanna’s highlighted face is the foreground and focal point or the picture. What I like best is the emotion of the picture and its composition. Instead of the original portraits where the artist is looking straight ahead Susanna closes her eyes. Her face stands out due to the light focused on it. The field is very shaded and the tone is dark. Unlike most self portraits, the composition is not focused toward the middle, it is focused to the bottom of the painting. Susanna Coffey’s self portrait stands out mostly because of it’s originality.


4. An artist might choose to focus on self-portraits to help portray and depict themselves. The artist can gain self-knowledge and the viewer can also learn a lot about the artist by looking at their self-reflection. Through a self-portrait, artists can show their feelings and emotions. They can also help the artist to be recognized.


Sam Varney

Anonymous said...

Rembrandt Self Portrait 1660 Amsterdam
Vincent Van Gogh Self Portrait 1887 Paris
Kathe Kollwitz Self Portrait with Hands on Brow 1910. Germany
Paul Gauguin self portrait with Halo. 1889. Washington
Gregory Gillespie Self Portrait in Studio 1976 Private Collection
Pablo Picasso Self Portrait 1886 Spain
Paul Cezanne Self Portrait 1879 Moscow
Susanna Coffey Celete 2006 United States
Brett Gamache Self Portrait 2006 United States

2. Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Picasso all use a similar approach regarding their self portraits. All portraits depict the upper half of themselves. All the painters use colors that are vivid and full of life in the background. Also, the facial expressions are very similar. All the portraits seem to have a look of gloom on their faces.
3. In my opinion the strongest self portrait is Gregory Gillespie’s self portrait. Gillespie’s use of oil and magna wood gives the painting a sense of realism opposed to other self portraits. The background also plays a key role in giving this self portrait affect. The background shows other paintings that may have been done by Gillespie. Also, the foreground shows the brushes and paints that are smeared over a table. This gives the self portrait more of a meaning because it shows Gillespie in his own environment opposed to a plain background.
4. Artists focus on self portraits for a number of reasons. The main reason artists choose to do self portraits is because of expression. Artists want to portray themselves the way they feel they are seen through their own eyes. Also, painters do self portraits in order to feel good about themselves. Painters feel that if they are painted on a canvas their life becomes sacred. Self portraits are both artistic and a way to give a painter a feeling of living forever.

Anonymous said...

Brett Gamache, Susanna Coffey, and Paul Cezanne self portraits all have similar aspects. They all parallel in texture. They all have an almost clay-like appearance. They all are also similar in the harsh mood that they give off. Lastly, they also have similar structure. In all of the portraits, they portray themselves in the center of the canvas, and in all of them you cannot see they’re entire body. They all have parallels.

The strongest self portrait, in my opinion is Eris by Susanna Coffey. It has a strong sense of chiaroscuro, in showing the light of the fire, and the dark of everything else. I also like how her face, even though it’s covered in darkness and there is a fire raging in the backround, is the focal point of the painting. I don’t believe that too many other artists can depict themselves while having as much going on in the back round. It also leaves you wondering what exactly it is that is going on. Why is there a fire? Why isn’t she doing anything about the fire? Is she just pretending it doesn’t exist? This painting is the strongest because it makes you think.

Artists could have many reasons for doing a self portrait. One being that they could be so obsessed with themselves, that they continuously paint themselves to fill out their narcissistic needs. Another being that they could be trying to depict themselves as how they see themselves, or how they think they are, as opposed to how people see them. They also could simply want to portray themselves differently from how people normally see them, or they want to show a side of themselves separate from their normal selves.

--Maddie Davern

Anonymous said...

Self Portrait at the Age of 34, oil on canvas by Rembrandt van Rijn, 1640; in the National Gallery, London. 102 ´ 80 cm. - Rembrandt van Rijn

1888 (130 Kb); Oil on canvas, 60.5 x 49.4 cm (23 3/4 x 19 1/2 in); Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA -Vincent Van Gogh

Self-portrait seated at a table n. 2 (Kl. 14v). Original etching with aquatint, c. 1892.
Image size: 178x128mm. Price: SOLD. - Kathe Kollwitz

Self-Portrait Dedicated to Carrière, 1888 or 1889- Paul Gauguin

Self Portrait in Studio, 1976-77, oil and magna on wood, 63 x 48 inches, Private Collection) - Gregory Gillespie

Self-portrait Paris, spring 1907 oil on canvas 50 x 46 cm Narodni Gallery, Prague Zervos II*, 8 – Pablo Picasso

Self-Portrait 1879-1882 Oil on canvas 25 5/8 x 20 5/8" Tate Gallery, London – Paul Cezanne
Self Portrait Blue Hat, 2003 oil on wood panel, 12 X 15 inches- Susanna Coffey Title:
Self Portraits (View slideshow)
Author: Brett Gamache
Number of images: 1
Visits: 57 Comments: 263
Date: Wednesday, 07/June/2006
Description:
Self Portraits – Brett Gamache

2. Picasso, Susanna Coffey and Paul Cezanne all have many comparisons in their self portraits. The artists use very dark colors for their paintings to express the mood they are trying to convey. They all do their portraits on oil canvas. The expressions on their face and their body language express a negative mood.
3. The strongest self portrait, in my eyes, is the Susanna Coffey self portrait, “night vision”. This self portrait demonstrates many moods that she is trying to get across to the viewers. It is showing how many different moods she is having in that one portrait. She used many light colors and on the sides, many dark colors. The title explains that the scenery is at night time but there is a sense of “daytime” that she feels.
4. An artist chooses to focus on self portraits and it drives artists such as Rembrandt to focus on time and effort towards depicting himself because they might want the viewer to know how they are expressing themselves by their emotions and their different personalities. Art is just a significant way of expressing ones emotions and painting it on a canvas. The subjects of art vary from artist to artist. “Self portraits are not just a reflection of what they look like but also of how the artist interprets themselves and the world around them. It is perhaps the most personal story that the artist can tell and makes the self-portrait one of art's most important subjects.”
5.

- lindsay forman

Anonymous said...

Rembrandt van Rijn Self portrait 1640 Holland


Vincent Van Gogh Autumn 1886 The Hague, Haags Gemeentemuseum



Käthe Kollwitz Germany Käthe Kollwitz museum in Berlin




Paul Gauguin Self-Portrait. C.1891 the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, USA


Gregory Gillespie Life as Art Fogg Museum United States


Pablo Picasso Self portrait 1907 Spain



Paul Cezanne 1879-85 Moscow Russia


Susanna Coffey Self portrait Masque ueen Helene 2001 New York NY


Brett Gamache portrait in civil war hat 2003 USA


Finishing rest for homework
chris lenihan

Anonymous said...

Kate Baird
1.



Rembrandt van Rijn , “Self-portrait as a young man”,1630, country of origin: Holland

Vincent van Gogh, “Self Portrait”, 1889, Musee d'Orsay, Paris, France

Kathe Kollwitz, “Self-Portrait with Hand on Forehead”, 1910, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Paul Gauguin, “Self-Portrait with Yellow Christ”, 1889, country of origin: France

Gregory Gillespie, “Self-Portrait in Studio”, 1976-77, country of origin: United States of America

Pablo Picasso, “Self-Portrait”, 1907, National Gallery, Prague


Paul Cezanne, “Self-Portrait with a Casquette”, 1873-75, The Hermitage, St. Petersburg, Russia

Susanna Coffey, “Self-Portrait (masque, queen helene)”, 2001, Tibor de Nagy Gallery, New York, New York

Brett Gamache, “Self-Portrait in a Civil War Hat”, 2003, country of origin: United States of America
My image: Anthony van Dyck

2. Three of the artists that have comparable self-portraits are Vincent Van Gogh, Susanna Coffey, and Paul Cezanne. The first similarity between these three artists’ self-portraits is that they all have a very somber mood. When you look at them you get a feeling of sadness, which could be due to their second similarity, color. These three paintings all have a lot of blue, which typically symbolizes unhappiness. Another similarity between the paintings is their composition; all three artists depict themselves from the waist or shoulders up only. Two of the artists (Van Gogh and Cezanne) painted themselves facing a little off center while Coffey painted herself facing directly forward. Although they are not all facing the same way, all three paintings give the viewer the sense that the subject of the painting is watching you. One final similarity is that all the paintings do not have a plain background. They all have some sort of design, pattern, or color that adds to the painting without taking over it.
3. Gregory Gillespie has the strongest self-portrait. His self-portrait is the strongest because it illustrates so much about him. By painting his whole body we got a very strong sense of what Gillespie actually looks like. What a person wears can also say a lot about them, so Gillespie, by painting his clothing and shoes, has also shown us a lot about his personality. Gillespie also included painting tools in the bottom right corner of his self-portrait. This shows us how he paints and with what tools. Gillespie also painted himself in a room with paintings on the wall which makes the painting more interesting because there are paintings within a painting. What really makes Gillespie’s painting the strongest is the fact that it looks so real. NOT FINISHED

Anonymous said...

1.
Rembrandt van Rijn
Self-Portrait, 1640, Holland



Vincent van Gogh
Self-Portrait, 1889, France




Kathe Kollwitz
Self Portrait, 1910, Washington D.C.



Paul Gauguin
Self-Portrait, 1891, Washington D.C.








Gregory Gillespie
Self Portrait in Studio, 1976-77, U.S.A.




Pablo Picasso
Self Portrait, 1907, Country of Origin: Spain







Paul Cezanne
Self-Portrait, 1879-85, Moscow, Russia



Susanna Coffey
Self Portrait (masque, queen helene), 2001, New York, NY



Brett Gamache
Self Portrait in civil war hat, 2003, Country of Origin: U.S.A.




2. Three comparable self portraits are Vincent van Gogh, Susanna Coffey, and Brett Gamache. First, all three paintings have a sense of realism. The artistic representations are accurate and do not seem to be glamorized. The artists depict themselves realistically, even their flaws. In addition, the three pieces have similar textures.
*not finished
-Jess Quintanilha

Anonymous said...

Lauren Southworth
November 5, 2007
Visual Imagination A
Self-Portrait

1.)
Rembrandt van Rijn:
-Self Portrait with Plumed Beret
-1629
-Netherlands


Vincent Van Gogh
-Self-Portrait with Pallette
-1889
-Netherlands


Kathe Kollwitz
-Self Portrait Facing Right
-1938
-Germany


Paul Gauguin
-Portrait de l'artiste
-1893-1894
-Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia)


Gregory Gillespie
-Self-Portrait in Studio
-1976-1977
-America (Massachusetts)


Pablo Picasso
-Self-portrait
-1907
-Spain


Paul Cezanne
-Self-Portrait with Rose Background
-1875
-France

Susanna Coffey
-Self Portrait (Cassandra will)
-2002
-American


Brett Gamache
-Self Portrait in civil war hat
-2003
-American

Anonymous said...

Andrea Giglio

1)
Rembrant van Rijn
Portrait of Artist at his easel, 1660, Paris


Vincent Van Gogh
Self Portrait, 1889, France


Kathe Kollwitz,
Self-Portrait with Hand on Forehead, 1910
National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.


Paul Gauguin,
Portrait de l'artiste (Self-portrait)
1893-94 Musee d'Orsay, Paris


Gregory Gillespie
Self Portrait In Studio, 1977-76, Private collection


Pablo Picasso,
Self-portrait, 1907, Spain


Paul Cezanne,
Self Portrait with Soft Hat, 1894, Bridgestone Museum or Art, Tokyo


Susanna Coffey,
Eris, 2003, Tibor de Nagy Gallery


Brett Gamache
Self Portrait in civil war hat, 2003, U.S.A.

2)
Three artists that represent similar moods, colors, and compositions in their paintings are Cezzane, Picasso, and Gaugin. All three of these artists' paintings are painted using thick brushes and oil paint on canvases. There is a wide range of colors, but most of them are bright and vibrant colors, rather than dull, dismal colors. Also, none of these paintings represent the whole body of the person, and the person is never looking directly at you.

3)
In my opinion, the strongest painting was 'Eris' by Susanna Coffey. Even though the painting is only of her head, it is still very strong and portrays many things through the background. You can tell by the what's going on in the background, her mood is not very calm at all, it's very chaotic and there are a lot of things going on in her mind.

4)
Artists focus on self portraits because it is a way of depicting themselves through what they love to do, paint. They can express they way they are feeling, or what's going on in their life through a self-portrait. It can be whatever they want it to be, and they can make themselves look however they want.

Anonymous said...

Laura Ready

(first part wouldn't post, printed out a version for you.)

1. The self-portraits of artists Rembrandt van Rijn, Vincent van Gogh, and Pablo Picasso are all very similar in various ways. For example, when looking at the self-portraits you are able to interpret the depth, creativeness, and knowledge these men possess. The focal points in all of these paintings are on the face, more specifically the eyes. This is because it is believed that the looking through the eyes you can learn everything about a person. The highlight on the eyes in these self-portraits emphasis the amount of strength, wisdom, and love they have for art.

2. I believe the strongest self-portrait was the one of Gregory Gillespie. This is due to the fact that it is not only a self-portrait of himself, but of his environment which explains who he is as an individual. The hue of colors used in the self-portrait really brings life to the rest of the painting, making it seem as if you are actually there. Gillespie’s form as he sits in his chair shows his relaxation and calmness while painting. The fact that all the art supplies are juxtapositioned next to each other make it seem as if movement is taking place. In conclusion, Gregory Gillespie’s self-portrait was by far the best portrait due to the liveliness, and different approach of a self-portrait he took.

3. An artist may choose to focus on self- portraits because they find them interesting and a challenge to try and recreate someone else, or themselves, as they are depicted. An artist like Rembrandt would take so much time and effort in painting themselves, to try and display to everybody else who they really are and what they stand for and believe in, through the art. They accept the challenge with open arms because it is such a difficult task to show emotions, thoughts, and believes, of a person in a painting. Rembrandt and others painted self-portraits so that people could feel like they could connect and know them through the eyes of the piece of art.

Anonymous said...

Jessica Quintanilha

*continued
2. Three comparable self portraits are Vincent van Gogh, Susanna Coffey, and Brett Gamache. First, all three paintings have a sense of realism. The artistic representations are accurate and do not seem to be glamorized. The artists depict themselves realistically, even their flaws. In addition, the three pieces have similar textural aspects. The artists use comparable brush strokes to create a consistency that is apparent in all three pieces. Lastly, the colors of the three self portraits all include a concentration of blue. Each portrait has a focus on blues, which enhances the piece.

3. The strongest self portrait was Vincent van Gogh’s. He uses detail and brushstrokes to strengthen this piece. His unique and complex brushstrokes are especially apparent in the background of the piece. Also, the strength and truth of Van Gogh’s facial expression make this piece realistic and demand the viewer’s attention.

4. An artist might want to paint self portraits to show the viewer the person behind the artwork. Not just photos but show the viewer how they view themselves. A self portrait can evoke the artists true feelings and emotions towards themselves.

Anonymous said...

Continued
2
Coffey, Rembrandt, and Picasso all show self-portraits of there faces. Each one is different but also has many seminaries. Coffey and Rembrandt’s faces are very light with dark back rounds. Picasso makes his face look a little disfigured with different shapes and colors inside his face. All the artist also have the same facial expression.

3
I feel Pablo Picasso’s self-portrait is the strongest because of the way he painted the painting. In every other artists face is normal, just like everyone else’s. Picasso’s is shaded different in some areas, has some different shapes in his face where u see the lines alone his cheeks. Some of his features on his face are bigger than the normally would be like his nose and his eyes. He also uses a different kind of paint in his painting compared to the other artist.

4
Artist just want people to have pictures of there faces on families walls. Artist are very self centered and some just do it because they can make a lot of money off of there paintings. It also might make artist feel good about them selves just for seeing a pictures of them. I believe some artist would try harder on a self-portrait just because it’s a picture of them. If it was a picture of someone else they wouldn’t try nearly as hard.


Chris Lenihan

Anonymous said...

4. While self-portraits may not be the big money makers for artists, artists probably consider them some of their most important works. Art, like dance or music, is a form of expression. A painting could express a certain feeling an artists is having or portray a view the artist has on something, but a self-portrait could express so much more. You can show so much about who you are through a self-portrait. It is almost like an explanation of all the artist’s other works. A self-portrait could enhance the viewer’s understanding of the artist’s other paintings. For an artist, a self-portrait is like the ultimate form of expression, which is why they devote so much time an effort to them.

5. Frida Kahlo, Self-Portrait with a small monkey. 1945
-Kate Baird

Kayla H. said...

1.
~Rembrandt van Rijn "Portrait of the Artist at His Easel" 1660, Paris
~Vincent Van Gogh "Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat" 1887, Paris
~Kathe Kollwitz "Self-portrait seated at a table n. 2" c. 1892, Germany
~Paul Gauguin "Self-Portrait with Yellow Christ" 1889, Paris
~Gregory Gillespie "Self Portrait with Journals" 1999, America
~Pablo Picasso "Self-Portrait" 1896, Barcelona, Spain
~Paul Cezanne "Self-Portrait" c. 1879-85, Moscow, Russia
~Susanna Coffey "Self Portrait (Cassandra will)" 2002, America
~Brett Gamache "Self Portrait in fur hat" 2004, America
2. Paul Gauguin’s Self-Portrait with Yellow Christ, Paul Cézanne’s Self-Portrait (c. 1879-85), and Pablo Picasso’s Self-Portrait (1896) have much in common, even disregarding that they are obviously all portraits of the respective artists. The primary similarity is their mediums. They are all made with oil on canvas. Because of this, they all display comparable textures, even to those who cannot feel the piece. Secondly, they all share a common color palette, with those of Gauguin and Cézanne having an incredibly similar golden hue.

3. Self Portrait with Journals by Gregory Gillespie is by far the strongest self-portrait of this collection. Unique and unconventional, it is the most aesthetically provocative. The artist chooses to vertically juxtapose his own image with that of a journal page. By depicting only part of himself, the image suggests that the journal entry is meant to be the focal point, and is therefore, more telling than just a simple picture of his own likeness. Adding to this is the striking brightness of the blue background and red border. The illustration altogether is imperfect; the coloring looks almost doodled in, rather than meticulously filled. These elements together make Gillespie’s self-portrait the strongest.

4. Despite its less-than-profitable marketability, an artist may choose to depict his or her own image by making a self-portrait. The main reason an artist would do this would be to expose him- or herself to viewers. Self-portraits can be extremely revealing, and can enlighten fans and prospective buyers into the mind of the artist. An artist sees a portrait as finding the truth in a person; therefore, to attempt to search for this truth within his- or herself is an astounding challenge that takes a lot of chutzpah. In the end, an artist is looking to do just those two things—reveal truth and take on challenges.

5. October Brilliance by Robert Strong Woodward

Anonymous said...

1. For each artist, record the title, year of completion, and country of origin.

Rembrandt van Rijn
“Self Portrait as a Young Man”
1634
Uffizi, Florence

Vincent Van Gogh
“Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear”
1889
Cortauld Institute Galleries, London

Kathe Kollwitz
“Self Portrait”
1924

Paul Gauguin
“The Yellow Christ”
1889
France

Gregory Gillespie
“Self Portrait with Journals”
1999
U.S.

Pablo Picasso
“Self Portrait”
1896
Barcelona, Spain

Paul Cezanne
“Self Portrait with a Casquette”
1879-1885
Moscow, Russia

Susanna Coffey
“Self Portrait (masque, queen helene)
2001
U.S.

Brett Gamache
“Self Portrait in civil war hat”
2003
U.S.


2. Identify three comparable (composition, color, mood, etc.) self-portraits from the list. Construct a paragraph which identifies the parallels between these 3 works.

Three comparable pieces of work that I found to be comparable self-portraits out of the well-known artists were Paul Cezanne’s “Self Portrait with a Casquette”, Brett Gamache’s “Self Portrait in civil war hat” and Paul Gauguin’s “The Yellow Christ”. All three artists I felt showed their feelings through art and expressed their different views on life onto their canvas oiled paintings. All three paintings have the message of religion, color, and mood somewhere in the picture. Religion is shown Gauguin’s “The Yellow Christ” where in the painting he depicts a clear picture of Christ attached to the cross before his timely death. In Cezanne’s portrait of a man with a dark hat and a hard to see casket in the back round it shows both emotion and symbolism. “The Self Portrait in a Civil War Hat” cleverly painted by American painter Brett Gamache was created to reveal the message of someone who was dark and mysterious. His face is hidden through shadow underneath the black of his hat so you cannot see his face easily. Each and every one of these paintings has something that can be compared between using topics such as religion, color and mood.



3. Identify the strongest self-portrait. In a paragraph, explain the elements which make it stand out; use your vocabulary words.

The strongest self portrait by all of these artists is Gauguin’s painting of “The Yellow Christ”. Religion is an issue in which everyone can relate to even if you do not hold religious views. Paul Gauguin was known as an Impressionist painter and a banker who was very dedicated to his bourgeois life. After separating his wife, he had little money and soon became poor. He probably felt a close connection to draw something religious where he could surely “escape” to. “The Yellow Christ” was influenced by the Japanese culture and art of this time. Using areas of pure color separated by heavy black outlines, the image was soon perfected in Gauguin’s eyes. Gauguin tried not to be so focused on the classical perspective and as a result boldly eliminated subtle gradations of color.


4. Typically, self-portraits are not lucrative efforts for living artists. Why might an artist choose to focus on self-portraits? What may drive an artist, like Rembrandt, to devote so much time and effort towards depicting himself? Explain in paragraph form.


Artists probably choose to focus on self-portraits for many reasons. One may be that they find it is easier to paint something that they are familiar to seeing each day. By painting a self-portrait it is very personal and has an affect on everyone who looks at it, including the artist him or herself. Although self-portraits are often looked highly upon some are not because they might have a lack of importance in someone else’s opinion. Reflection is a way to express the artist’s input on the physical appearance of someone. An artist such like Rembrandt may devote so much time and effort towards depicting himself to show how he feels through his teachings as a professor. The artwork that he had completed had a lot to do with ancient sculpture, Flemish and Italian Renaissance paintings, Far Eastern art, contemporary Dutch works, weapons, and armor. He also favored painting mythological and religious works which were much in demand, and he painted numerous dramatic masterpieces as well.



Olivia

Anonymous said...

It is interesting to view self portraits and compare how the artist chooses to represent him or her self. After reflecting on numerous self portraits, I realized that Brett Gamache, Pablo Picasso and Vincent Van Gogh have similarities throughout their self portraits. The form in all three self portraits is a close-up of the face, more specifically of an angled view of the face. The colors in these self paintings are fairly mundane, with no bold color statements. My personal critique of the paintings leads me to believe they all seem hollow, as if the eyes are staring out into space.

In my opinion, “Cassandra will”, the self portrait Susanna Coffey is the best amongst the group of artists we researched. For me Susanna paints raw emotion and does not try to flatter herself in specific poses or distract from her image with a competing background. For me, Susanna is looking into a well or other pool of water, reflecting on her image in “Cassandra will”. Her form is only from the shoulders up, and there is a special emphasis placed on her skin, showing her old age.

Although a self portrait is not probably a huge money maker, I believe true artists would not consider money a deciding factor in what they choose to paint. By producing a self portrait, the artist can easily create a form of self expression. Also, in self portraits the interpretation is not meant for the audience, but for the artist him or her self.

Lauren Southworth

Dom S said...

1.
Rembrandt
Self Portrait, Wide Eyed
1630
Amsterdam


Van Gogh
Self-Portrait With Bandaged Ear
1889
France


Kathe Kollwitz
By the Church Wall
1893
Germany


Paul Gauguin
Self-portrait with Halo
1889
France


Gregory Gillespie
Self-portrait in Black Shirt
1969
United States


Pablo Picasso
Self-portrait
1907
France



Paul Cezanne
Self-portrait
1882
England


Susanna Coffey
Self Portrait (masque, queen helene)
2001
No idea where it was finished


Brett Gamache
Self portrait in civil war hat
2003
United States

2. Van Gogh’s “Self-Portrait With Bandaged Ear”, Susanna Coffey’s “Self Portrait (masque, queen helene)”, and Pablo Picasso’s 1907 self-portrait are all similar. What is similar about the paintings is that all three are not flattering. One would think that if you were to paint a self-portrait that you would make yourself look more attractive than you are in reality but these artists do the opposite. Not only do they portray their ugliness but they even exaggerate it.

3. The strongest self-portrait is Susanna Coffey’s 2001 painting, “Self Portrait (masque, green helene)”. It’s the strongest because it is the most realistic of all the paintings. Realism is a lot more impressive to me than most other art movements. I also like Rembrandt’s 1630 self-portrait because it looks silly.

4. I think that artists such as Rembrandt focus a lot of time on self-portraits because they really like themselves or really dislike themselves. They want to show the world how awesome they are or how pathetic they are. People like Rembrandt know that they are a big deal and think that you should too.

Nicole W. said...

Rembrandt van Rijn
Title: Self Portrait as a Young Man
Year: 1629-1630
Country: Holland

Vincent Van Gogh
Title: Self Portrait 1889
Year: 1889
Country: Holland

Kathe Kollwitz
Title: Self-Portrait with Hand on Forehead
Year: 1910
Country: Germany

Paul Gauguin
Title: Self-Portrait Dedicated to Carriere
Year: 1888-1889
Country: France

Gregory Gillespie
Title: Self-Portrait in Studio
Year: 1976-1977
Country: USA

Pablo Picasso
Title: Self-Portrait 1907
Year: 1907
Country: Spain

Paul Cezanne
Title: Self-Portrait
Year: 1879-85
Country: Russia

Susanna Coffey
Title: Self Portrait (Cassandra will)
Year: 2002
Country: USA

Brett Gamache
Title: Self-Portrait
Year: 2006
Country: USA

(I'll post the questions later)

Anonymous said...

1. The Self portrait compositions by Rembrandt van Rijn, Susanna Coffey, and Pablo Picasso all have the feeling of a serious mood. In their compositions they all use dark colors to represent that serious mood. All of their compositions are normal self portraits, it’s from the shoulders up.
2. I think the strongest self portrait is by Susanna Coffey because of the use of her color. Since the background is so dark and with her bright portrait of her face contrasts nicely with the background. You can also see the strong texture in her face, with the wrinkles in her face.
3. I think the artist to self portrait to capture what they are feeling at the time of their painting. I think artists like Rembrandt focus so much time on their self portraits because they want to capture every detail and achieve perfection in their self portrait. They want to be remembered in a certain light.

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