Aself-portrait of Vincent van Gogh is coming to the Wirral. The Post-Impressionist artist’s painting is being loaned to Port Sunlight’s Lady Lever Art Gallery along with another self-portrait of Paul Gauguin. They are on loan from Musée d’Orsay in Paris. Van Gogh’s self-portrait dates from 1887 shortly before he cut off his ear and then killing himself in 1890.

Van Gogh is one of the most influential artists of 20^th century art. He began drawing as a child and continued throughout the years leading to his decision to become an artist. He did not make that decision until his late twenties completing his best known works during the last few years of his life.

He spent his early adulthood working for an art dealer, travelling between Holland, London and Paris after which he spent some time teaching in England. He then worked as a missionary in a mining region in Belgium where he began to sketch people from the local community. In 1885, he painted his first major work The Potato Easters. His work at this time consisted mainly of very sombre earth tones and displayed no signs of his bright, vivid colours for which he is now famous.

In March 1886, he moved to Paris and discovered the French Impressionists. When he moved to the south of France soon afterwards, he became greatly influenced by the strong sunlight he found there. His work grew brighter and he developed the unique and highly recognisable style that he became known for.

Just how much his mental illness influenced his work has been the subject of much speculation. He mutilated his own ear and soon became a voluntary patient in an asylum. He continued to deteriorate and between May 1989 and May 1890 he had fits of despair and hallucinations during which he could not work.

On the 27^th July 1890 at the age of 37 van Gogh shot himself in the chest with a revolver and he died 24 hours later from an untreated infection from the wound. It was reported that his last words were “This sadness will last forever”.

While many of his late paintings are sombre, they are also optimistic and reflect his burning desire to return to lucid mental health right up to the time of his death. Yet some of his final works reflect his deepening depression. Referring to his paintings of wheat fields under troubled skies, he commented in a letter to his brother: “I did not have to go out of my way very much in order to try to express sadness and extreme loneliness.”

Sandra Penketh, head of Lady Lever Art Gallery, said; “It is a great privilege to have these self-portraits hanging together – the personalities of the two legendary artists seem to leap out of the canvases to challenge the viewer.”

Van Gogh and Gauguin worked together in the south of France for two months in 1888 although they had a tempestuous friendship, arguing regularly. In December 1888, after van Gogh threatened him with a razor, Gauguin returned to Paris and the two would never meet again.

The paintings will be displayed until 11 June 2012 and you will be pleased to hear that entry is free.