Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear - Vincent van Gogh
Archival giclée
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Description
A striking 1889 self-portrait by Vincent van Gogh, painted in Arles following the injury to his ear, featuring bold brushwork and a high-contrast palette.
Painted in January 1889, this work captures Vincent van Gogh shortly after the well-documented incident in Arles where he severed part of his left ear. The artist depicts himself in a three-quarter view, wearing a heavy green coat and a fur cap. A thick white bandage covers his ear, drawing the eye to the injury. He holds a pipe in his mouth, a detail that adds a sense of composure to the composition.
The background consists of two distinct horizontal bands of colour, a warm orange-red that contrasts with the cooler tones of his clothing. Van Gogh uses his characteristic application of paint, with visible, rhythmic brushstrokes that define the contours of his face and the texture of his garments. The palette is deliberate, relying on the tension between the green coat and the reddish backdrop to create visual energy.
This painting is one of two versions created during this period. It reflects the artist's focus on self-examination during a time of personal crisis. The direct gaze of the subject, combined with the stark, simplified background, removes extraneous detail and forces the viewer to confront the artist's physical and mental state. The work is held in the collection of the Courtauld Gallery in London. It remains a primary example of the artist's ability to translate internal experience into a tangible, painterly form through the use of colour and line.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear - Vincent van Gogh
Artist Biography
Vincent Van Gogh
He taught himself to draw by copying prints and working through textbooks. His brother Theo, an art dealer in Paris, sent money every month for the rest of Vincent's life. Without Theo there are no paintings. The letters between them, over 600, are one of the most complete records of any artist's thinking. Van Gogh wrote about colour theory, composition, what he ate, what he read, how much he spent on paint. He was articulate and well-read and not, despite the popular version, simply mad.
He moved to Paris in 1886 and encountered Impressionism. The palette changed immediately: from the dark browns of his Dutch period to the colours people actually associate with his work. He met Gauguin, Pissarro, Signac, Toulouse-Lautrec. He absorbed Pointillism and Japanese prints. Then he moved to Arles in the south of France, where the light was better and people were fewer.
The Arles period produced Sunflowers, The Bedroom, Starry Night Over the Rhone. The breakdown followed: the argument with Gauguin, the severed ear (he cut part of his left ear, not the whole thing), the asylum at Saint-Remy, and then Auvers-sur-Oise, where he painted seventy canvases in seventy days before dying from a gunshot wound at thirty-seven. He sold one painting during his lifetime, or possibly two. Theo died six months later.
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