A self-portrait by French Post-Impressionist painter Émile Bernard from 1891, dedicated to Louis Anquetin. The work features expressive brushwork and a restrained colour palette.

This self-portrait by Émile Bernard (1868-1941), a French Post-Impressionist painter, dates to 1891. The work is dedicated to Louis Anquetin, a fellow artist and friend. Bernard was associated with the Pont-Aven School and was a contemporary of artists such as Paul Gauguin, with whom he developed Cloisonnism, a style of painting characterised by bold and flat forms separated by dark outlines. Bernard's artistic journey involved experimentation with various styles, including Symbolism and Synthetism, before he later adopted a more academic approach. In this self-portrait, Bernard presents himself with a direct gaze. The brushwork is expressive, with visible strokes that add texture and depth to the face. The colour palette is restrained, dominated by earthy tones and dark greens, which create a somewhat sombre mood. The artist's features are rendered with a degree of realism, yet the overall effect is one of introspection and artistic contemplation. The portrait offers a glimpse into the artist's persona during his formative years, reflecting the artistic and intellectual currents of the late 19th century.