Pierre Renoir- self portrait

This is a self portrait done by Pierre Renior. I like the composition because he used a dark shade to direct the focus on his face. He could of used lighter colors for his clothes but he didnt and they serve the same purpose as the background. A long gaze at the portrait gives off a sense of optimism because he isnt smiling but he isnt frowning, so it leaves one to wonder. An interesting fact about Renior is that he was handicapped by arthritis in his later years and he an assistant draw for him.