Equipped to paint
Self-Portrait as a Painter
It will escape no one's attention that Van Gogh has depicted himself here as a painter. The various painter's attributes that are depicted show the items that he used.
Van Gogh’s rectangular palette has a hole for the thumb. The palette rested on the lower arm, making it easy to hold. In the indentation in the short side of the palette, Van Gogh wedged his brushes, with the same hand that held the palette.
Van Gogh used different types of paintbrushes, flat-topped ones for coarse brushstrokes and pointed ones for finer strokes.
Van Gogh placed two small jars or godets on his palette. One was usually for the binding agent (oil), the other for the thinner (such as turpentine).
Van Gogh field easel could be folded up, making it easy to transport. He used this easel when he worked outside.
