Portrait of the Artist As...

The exhibition Portrait of the Artist As… looks at the ways in which artists have portrayed themselves, their peers, and their predecessors over four centuries. Curated by the students of The Courtauld’s MA Programme Curating the Art Museum, it draws on the holdings of two major collections, The Courtauld Gallery and The Arts Council Collection, and includes thirty works in various media from the 18th century to the present day. It examines the ways in which artists see themselves and wish to be seen, and explores the myth of the artist as genius, hero, outsider or tormented soul. The exhibition is inspired by a unique pairing of two powerful masterpieces by Vincent van Gogh and Francis Bacon, shown together here for the first time. Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear, 1889, is one of the most recognisable paintings in the world, and a highlight of The Courtauld’s collection. This iconic work will hang alongside Bacon’s Study for a Portrait of Van Gogh VI, 1957, one of the most prized works in the Arts Council Collection. Together, these two extraordinary paintings engage in a dialogue, raising issues of influence, inspiration, replication and change that echo throughout the exhibition.