He actively encouraged the public's perception of him as an unschooled peasant, while his ambition, his bold pronouncements to journalists, and his insistence on depicting his own life in his art gave him a reputation for unbridled vanity.
Han bidrog aktivt til offentlighedens opfattelse af ham som en uskolet bonde, mens hans ambitioner, hans højtflyvende udtalelser til journalister, og hans insisteren på at skildre sit eget liv i sin kunst, gav ham et ry for uhæmmet forfængelighed.