Artwork
Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat
Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Edvard Weie. It dates from 1907 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1907, *Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat* is an oil painting by Danish modernist Edvard Weie. The work belongs to the post‑impressionist vein of early twentieth‑century art and is part of the permanent collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents the artist himself, his face partially concealed by a low‑tilted, wide‑brimmed straw hat. A turned‑up collar frames his neck, and he holds a cigarette near his lips, suggesting a casual, introspective pose that reflects both personal identity and the era’s bohemian sensibility.
Technique & Style
Weie employs a vigorous, uneven application of paint, building up thick layers that give the surface a palpable texture. The impasto technique creates pronounced brushstrokes, especially in the shadows and the warm tones of the skin, rendering the visage simultaneously solid and deliberately unfinished.
History & Provenance
Since its completion, the painting has remained in the custody of Denmark’s national gallery, Statens Museum for Kunst. The work contributed to Weie’s growing reputation, culminating in his receipt of the prestigious Eckersberg Medal in 1925, an honor recognizing significant contributions to Danish art.
Context
Weie’s self‑portrait aligns with the broader post‑impressionist movement’s interest in expressive color and texture, moving away from strict realism toward a more subjective visual language. The piece reflects the artist’s engagement with contemporary European trends while retaining a distinct Scandinavian character.
Artist & collection
Artist
Viggo Thorvald Edvard Weie (18 November 1879 - 9 April 1943) was a Danish Modernist painter. He was a recipient of Eckersberg Medal in 1925. He died during 1943 in Frederiksberg.
