by Tom Gurney
Tom Gurney BSc (Hons) is an art history expert with over 20 years experience
Published on June 19, 2020 / Updated on October 17, 2026
Email: tomgurney1@gmail.com / Phone: +44 7429 011000
Looking at Self Portrait
Franz Marc’s Self-Portrait in Breton Costume (Selbstbildnis in bretonischer Tracht) is dated 1904. He presents himself in profile, wearing a broad dark hat, a high white collar and a blue coat with a bright green edge. This is the specific early painting reproduced here, rather than a general portrait of the artist. The public-domain image record gives its German and English titles; the visible costume and composition establish the match to this page’s former splash. [1]
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Watch on YouTubeA constructed likeness
The figure turns away from the viewer. The brim obscures much of the face, while the small lit area around the cheek and collar holds attention near the centre. The blue sleeve curves down to a hand at the lower left. A dark mass of coat fills the rest of the tall picture, set against a cool, loosely painted background. Those large colour areas make the sitter legible even where facial detail is withheld. [1]
The title names a Breton costume, but the image alone does not establish where Marc painted it or why he chose the clothing. The pose is also a choice, not a transparent account of his character. Looking at the profile, hat and coat as a staged arrangement gives a firmer way into the work than treating them as proof of a particular state of mind.
This early human subject is useful beside Marc’s later animal paintings. In Blue Horse I, a single body again occupies most of a tall canvas, though the animal turns inward and colour becomes more intense. The comparison shows a change in subject and pictorial language without pretending that the two images carry the same meaning. [2]
Artothek's image catalogue lists photograph 35517 as an approximately 1904 oil painting on canvas, 100.5 × 62.5 cm, credited to the Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt. The Commons file record gives the same dimensions but says mixed technique on jute and credits Institut Mathildenhöhe. These are published descriptions, not a current collection object record; this page does not settle the support or institutional credit from them. The dated image, title and visible composition remain its established anchors. [3] [1]
Artwork Directory
This source-checked selection contains 192 identified works and print designs from the current Franz Marc research set. It is a curated selection, not a complete catalogue raisonné. Some works link to their article here; others link to a collection record. Unresolved identifications are omitted.
Discussion
Marc hides much of his face but makes the costume and pose unmistakable.
Reader Insights
Observation
Which edge draws your eye first: the hat, collar or green line of the coat?
Comparison
How does this tall human figure differ from the single animal in Blue Horse I?
Interpretation
What can the pose suggest without telling us why Marc chose it?
Join the Conversation
Which detail changed the way you saw this work? Share a close observation or a comparison with another Marc picture.
References
- Wikimedia Commons, exact file. View source.
- Lenbachhaus, Blue Horse I. View source.
- Artothek image catalogue, Self-Portrait in Breton Costume, image 35517. View source.
- Related artwork image, Yellow Cow: Photograph by Dr. Alexey Yakovlev; resized without crop or colour change, CC BY-SA 2.0.
- Splash image: Franz Marc, Self-Portrait in Breton Costume, 1904. Public-domain reproduction from Wikimedia Commons, resized without crop or colour change. Image file and rights.
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