Self-Portrait with Statuette 1916

Gustave Loiseau painted this self-portrait with statuette using oil on canvas, but its date remains unknown. Loiseau’s brushstrokes are small and deliberate, creating a textured surface that invites closer inspection. The paint isn’t applied in flat areas, but instead with dabs, or dots. If you look closely at the vase on the left, you can see a grid of color. These marks add depth and movement to the composition, giving the impression of light flickering across the artist’s face and the objects around him. That statuette in the foreground is bathed in warm, golden light, with just a few brushstrokes it stands out against the cooler tones of the background. This small sculpture contrasts with the artist’s sombre expression, so the statuette offers a sense of hope or resilience. Loiseau was deeply influenced by the Impressionists, and you might also see the mark making and compositional choices of someone like Bonnard in this lovely painting.