Van Gogh painting displayed in Wales for the first time

• Watch Marina Jenkins' interview with Dr Kath Davies from Amgueddfa Cymru

One of the world’s most renowned artists' self-portraits is being exhibited in Wales for the very first time.

Vincent van Gogh’s 1887 "Portrait Of The Artist" is now gracing the walls of the National Museum Cardiff.

The impressionist created 35 self-portraits before his untimely death at 37, solidifying his image as one of the most iconic faces in Western art.

Normally housed at the Musee d’Orsay in Paris, this masterpiece is on display from 16 March until January 2025, as part of a reciprocal loan agreement with France.

In exchange, La Parisienne by Renoir, also known as The Blue Lady, will journey across the Channel.

This arrangement marks the conclusion of the Welsh Government’s Year Of Wales In France, aimed at fostering connections between the two nations in trade, culture, and sport.

The Van Gogh painting is the centrepiece of the new exhibition, "Art Of The Selfie," which delves into the concept of self-portraiture as the original selfie.

Alongside Van Gogh, the exhibition will feature works by various artists from the national collection of Wales, including Rembrandt, Brenda Chamberlain, Francis Bacon, Bedwyr Williams, and Anya Paintsil.

Dr Kath Davies, director of collections and research at the Cardiff Museum, said she was delighted to welcome Van Gogh’s self-portrait to Wales.

“I am sure visitors to the museum will enjoy seeing this work by one of the world’s best-known painters displayed alongside paintings by artists from our collection here in Wales,” she said.

Dawn Bowden, the deputy Welsh minister for culture and sport, described it as "a fitting way to close the Year Of Wales In France".

There is no fixed ticket price for the exhibition, with visitors encourage to "pay what they feel". It runs from 16 March to January 2025.

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