Self-Portrait

Vallotton painted himself eight times that we know of, and the Musée d'Orsay calls this 1897 picture the most peaceful and optimistic of them. He was in his early thirties, settled in Paris, and his work was starting to pay. The museum points to one small change of dress. In place of the stiff detachable collar he usually wore, he has put on a thick navy knitted sweater, with only a thin line of white shirt showing at the neck. There is nothing behind him but an even brownish-green ground, so the whole picture rests on the face, turned towards us with a level gaze, the moustache and small pointed beard painted with close care. He signed and dated it, 97, low on the right. The portrait was bought in 2007 with money from an anonymous Canadian donation.