Representation in Self Portraiture This is a blog to keep track of my dissertation research and to help develop ideas in an organised manner.

 This time a real attempt at a remotely decent plan...

- brief point about painting existing before photography and the impact this would have had on self-portraits. usually done in a mirror, reversed output, slowly, carefully considered? expensive, how might one decide to change how one is presented (the previous quote about looking Godlike) pose/background still could be a making of the mind

-Perhaps mentioning some artistic movements? Most old styles stuck to literal representation, but this offers a very limited view does it not? Merely what a person looked like, perhaps some simple clothes... / environment, still not very much. This can lead nicely into Van Gogh, as an expressionist to put emotions into his work to be very honest and consiously aware that he is doing so?

'Dear Theo, it is said, and I strongly believe, that it is difficult to know yourself, but it is also difficult to paint yourself'

-A brief outline of Van Gogh's general life / demise and inbetweens this will have to be the context provided for the chapter, without referring to 'context' do not make a big deal out of the significance... how to reference this? hmm...

Perhaps the best approach is to discuss a few self-portraits in chronological order, and my thinking is to correlate different events to different self-portraits and try and show intention... because X happened so X was portrayed in painting with feeling X, meaning all 3 are the same

His France period was happiest, lots of self portraits x1 per month revealed moods, preoccupation, technical development (state of mind)

• Guaguin Les Miserables, portrayal of himself how wanted to be percieved
• Goghs #30 reply mocking - literal representation impossible

This kind of throws a spanner in the works, I need to develop the whys he painted this and if this helps support me... he of course was consciously aware of this painting  but does it help to give an accurate representation? A comical side?

Bandaged ear, he didn't have to paint this, but he did

• Correlation of his mental attacks and events in his life to subsequent paintings
• #35 seems glamourous after an attack 

His last self portrait, very important, a lot to be discussed? did he know of things to come?

one criticism may have been the long time period it takes to paint, the feeling will dull, I have the quote that tells us he paints fast and with the feeling still there, this aids the truthfulness





 The unconscious chapter will be a critique of chapters 2 + 3

Simon Johnson
www.thephilosophicalphotographer.co.uk