Self-portraits are documents of the choices artists make about how to present themselves to others. Rembrandt van Rijn chose to represent himself realistically in his self-portraits. French painter Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun depicted herself oil painting in formal attire. Vincent van Gogh, who struggled financially, chose to paint self-portraits because they were cheaper than hiring a model. Contemporary American artist Chuck Close is paralyzed but paints his abstract self-portraits with a special brush. Self-portraits from artists of every era can provide details about artists’ lives and work.