Self-Portrait 1 by Robert Delaunay

This striking portrait of great psychological intensity, temporarily titled “Self-Portrait 1”, reveals the Fauve and experimental period of the artist Robert Delaunay. In this early work, the painter breaks free from academic conventions to explore the expressive properties of pure color. By placing human expression at the heart of his research, he prefigures the future developments of modern art and abstraction.

The male subject is depicted in a bust, three-quarter view, intensely staring at the viewer with his two piercing and completely clear blue eyes. His expressive face is wonderfully sculpted by bold touches of green, pink, and yellow, contrasting with his dark suit and a white collar adorned with a grey bow tie. The background constitutes a vibrant mosaic of pointillist touches and swirls of very warm colors, mixing bright yellow, orange, green, and blue in a harmonious way. The light seems to emanate directly from the model’s skin, creating an atmosphere of soft intellectual intimacy.

Robert Delaunay demonstrates remarkable skill in applying thick, distinct brushstrokes to model volumes. His mastery of the chromatic palette and thermal contrast allows him to give life and depth to the gaze, confirming his genius as an outstanding colorist.