The question to ask when you see Self-Portrait with Straw Hat is exactly how many self-portraits did Vincent van Gogh paint?

From 1886-1888, van Gogh visited Paris and hung out with his brother Theo, who ran an art gallery in Montmartre. Before departing for Arles and cutting off his ear in the midst of a mental breakdown, those two years in Paris greatly informed his style of painting. Surrounding yourself with the works of the Impressionists like Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, and Paul Signac will do that. It was their work that encouraged a weary-eyed Vincent to use more color.

These self-portraits acted as a glimpse into his mental state. Van Gogh was said to have suffered from various psychiatric conditions, and being a heavy drinker certainly didn’t help to soothe his mind. He gave this rendition to fellow painter Emile Bernard, who would end up selling it off in the early 1900s, but van Gogh’s self-portraits were more often than not sent to his little brother Theo. It was Vincent's intention to show Theo just how ‘healthy’ he was and how ‘well’ he was doing by painting self-portraits that were happy-looking and bright. I mean, he wasn’t going to give Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear to Theo. 

It’s not the first time van Gogh has painted this bright yellow straw hat in a self-portrait. While he did paint himself with different headwear, like the felt hat he depicted in Self-Portrait with Dark Felt Hat at the Easel and Self-Portrait with a Grey Felt Hat, his go-to accessory when he painted outside was this straw version.

In 1922, the Detroit Institute of Arts nabbed Self-Portrait for $4,200, a bargain in comparison to what this portrait of sunshine and happiness is worth now – a whopping $150 million. While the museum was the first in America to boast a van Gogh, it also came very close to selling off the prized possession in 2014, when it was on the brink of bankruptcy. There is a happy ending to the story of this painting. The Detroit Institute held on to Self-Portrait (and other prized paintings in their collection) and were financially rescued by the state of Michigan and other donors. A deserved round of applause, I think.