Vincent van Gogh
By John Russell, 1886
Look closely at this man with the striking red beard and intense gaze, and you might recognize one of the most famous artists in history. This is Vincent van Gogh, painted in 1886 by his friend John Russell, an Australian artist who met him in Paris while both were studying art. The two became close, and Russell captured Vincent in a way few others did, showing him as a serious, thoughtful young man rather than the troubled figure of legend.
What makes this portrait special is that Van Gogh actually liked it. He kept it and mentioned it warmly in his letters, calling it a good likeness. Russell painted in a fairly traditional, realistic style here, with dark tones and careful attention to the face, quite different from the bold colors and swirling brushwork Van Gogh himself would soon become known for. It is a quiet, honest picture of one artist by another, made during a hopeful time before fame and hardship shaped the rest of Vincent's life.
This painting now lives at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, where it offers visitors a rare glimpse of the man behind the masterpieces, seen through the eyes of a friend.