Just received an email from my friend Brenda who is currently visiting Paris. She was telling me about all the art she is seeing and how fantastic everything is.
She also mentioned a Van Gogh self-portrait that made her emotional. Funny, that is exactly how I felt the first time I saw one at the WAG in 1999. I have always loved Van Gogh, but was never interested in the self-portraits. Then I stood in front of one. I was stunned. As someone who paints, I was blown away by the colour and lightness he created. The painting seemed to glow. That’s the problem with prints, they just look so dull next to the real thing.
Here is the painting I saw, this is hardly how I remember it. It did not look this dark.
Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat
