Self-Portrait with Red Eyes

Against a background of vermilion filling the picture, a self-portrait from the chest up is painted. The face is cut into planes of yellow, green, and blue, with red applied around the eyes. The head, with its hair or hat-like form, is gathered into an angular shape by thick strokes of black and red, and the chest of the kimono is also painted with rough strokes of red, blue, and green.

Yorozu Tetsugoro graduated from the Tokyo School of Fine Arts in 1912 and the same year took part in an exhibition of the Fusain Society. In this period Yorozu was strongly drawn to new Western painting such as that of Van Gogh and Matisse, and tried one expression after another that freed color from form. The near-primary coloring and the way of building the face from planes of color in this work are also said to show that influence.

Yorozu left many self-portraits over his life. Comparing this one with the "Self-Portrait in Pointillist Style" and "Self-Portrait with Clouds" from around the same time shows how greatly he changed his way of painting in a short span.

The Iwate Museum of Art presents this work as one of Yorozu Tetsugoro's representative pieces. Because displays are rotated, it is best to check the museum's website before visiting.