In most self-portraits it is the face that dominates:
Cezanne is a pair of eyes swimming in brushstrokes,
Van Gogh stares out of a halo of swirling darkness,
Rembrant looks relieved as if he were taking a breatherfrom painting The Blinding of Sampson.
But in this one Goya stands well back from the mirrorand is seen posed in the clutter of his studioaddressing a canvas tilted back on a tall easel.
He appears to be smiling out at us as if he knewwe would be amused by the extraordinary hat on his headwhich is fitted around the brim with candle holders,a device that allowed him to work into the night.
You can only wonder what it would be liketo be wearing such a chandelier on your headas if you were a walking dining room or concert hall.
But once you see this hat there is no need to readany biography of Goya or to memorize his dates.
To understand Goya you only have to imagine himlighting the candles one by one, then placingthe hat on his head, ready for a night of work.
Imagine him surprising his wife with his new invention,the laughing like a birthday cake when she saw the glow.
Imagine him flickering through the rooms of his housewith all the shadows flying across the walls.
Imagine a lost traveler knocking on his doorone dark night in the hill country of Spain."Come in, " he would say, "I was just painting myself,"as he stood in the doorway holding up the wand of a brush,illuminated in the blaze of his famous candle hat.
