You know the one. A few loopy lines, a pair of round glasses, and that unmistakable mop of hair. It’s the John Lennon self portrait, and honestly, it’s everywhere. You’ll find it on coffee mugs, t-shirts, and high-end gallery walls. But there is a massive difference between a doodle on a napkin and the intentional art John was making toward the end of the sixties. People usually think he just scribbled these out because he was bored. That’s not really the whole story.
John was actually a trained artist before he ever became a "Beatle." He spent three years at the Liverpool College of Art from 1957 to 1960. While he eventually ditched the brushes to conquer the world with a guitar, that "art school" brain never really shut off. He was obsessed with the idea of the "quick line"—capturing an entire mood or a person’s soul without overthinking it.
The Story Behind the Lines
When we talk about the most famous John Lennon self portrait, we’re usually referring to the minimalist line drawings he did around 1969 and 1970. This was the era of Bag One. If you aren’t a hardcore nerd, Bag One was a portfolio of lithographs John created as a wedding gift for Yoko Ono. It wasn't just some sweet gesture; it was a chronicle of their wedding in Gibraltar and their "Bed-In for Peace."
The style is incredibly sparse.
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It’s basically shorthand. He used a technique similar to Japanese Sumi-e ink painting, where the goal is to use the fewest strokes possible. Think about it. Most people try to draw themselves and get hung up on the shading of their nose or the shape of their chin. John didn't care about that. He wanted to represent the "idea" of John Lennon.
Why the glasses are the whole point
In almost every version of the John Lennon self portrait, the spectacles are the anchor. Without them, it’s just a circle. With them, it’s a global icon. It’s funny because, in his early years, John was actually embarrassed to wear his glasses on stage. By the time he was drawing these portraits, the glasses weren't just a medical necessity—they were his identity.
That one film nobody wants to talk about
Here is a weird bit of trivia: there is actually a 1969 film also titled Self-Portrait. It was directed by Yoko Ono. If you went to the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London back then expecting a nice painting, you were in for a shock. The "film" was a 42-minute, slow-motion shot of John’s... well, his "private parts."
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John later joked about it in a BBC interview, saying he was "a bit of a prick" at the time. It’s a perfect example of how "Self Portrait" meant something very different to him than it did to the public. He was always pushing the boundaries of what it meant to reveal yourself. Sometimes it was a tender line drawing, and sometimes it was a 42-minute experimental film that made critics extremely uncomfortable.
What a John Lennon self portrait is worth today
If you’re looking to buy an original, bring your checkbook. Or your life savings.
Actually, the market for Lennon art is wild. You have two main categories:
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- Original Drawings: These are rare. They’re the actual ink-on-paper pieces John touched. These can fetch tens of thousands—or even hundreds of thousands—at auction. Just recently, in late 2025, a small sketch of John and Yoko from a "bed-in" sold for over £6,500.
- Limited Edition Prints: This is where most collectors live. Since 1986, Yoko has released various series like the Bag One Arts program. These are lithographs or serigraphs, often "estate signed" (meaning Yoko signed them or they have John's personal "chop" stamp).
The "Chop" Mark
If you look at a high-quality print of a John Lennon self portrait, you’ll see a little red stamp. That’s a Japanese signature seal, or "chop." John’s personal seal translates to "Like a Cloud, Beautiful Sound." It’s a small detail, but it shows how much he respected the Eastern art tradition he learned through Yoko.
Why it still hits different
There is a vulnerability in these drawings that you don't find in his music. In a song like "Help!" or "Mother," the emotion is loud. It’s a scream. But the John Lennon self portrait is quiet. It’s the visual equivalent of a whisper.
Critics sometimes dismiss his art as "celebrity doodles," but that’s a bit cynical. If you look at the lines, they’re confident. There’s no sketching or erasing. He just laid the ink down. That takes a specific kind of guts. It’s the same energy he brought to the studio—get in, capture the feeling, and don't over-polish it until the life is gone.
How to spot a real one (or a good replica)
If you're hunting for a piece of history, you have to be careful. The "Lennon style" is easy to mimic because it’s so simple. That’s the trap.
- Check the provenance: Authentic prints should come with documentation from Bag One Arts or a reputable gallery like the San Francisco Art Exchange.
- Look for the red seal: Almost all authorized posthumous prints feature the "Like a Cloud, Beautiful Sound" chop.
- Paper quality: Real lithographs from the Bag One series were often printed on BFK Rives paper. It has a specific weight and texture you can't fake with a home printer.
The John Lennon self portrait isn't just a picture of a guy. It’s a brand. It’s a philosophy. It’s the visual "Imagine." When you see those few lines, you aren't just looking at a face; you're looking at the era of peace, love, and the messy, beautiful reality of a man who was trying to figure himself out on paper.
Practical Steps for Collectors
- Research the Edition: If buying a print, find out if it was a "Hand Signed" (by John, very expensive) or "Estate Signed" (by Yoko, more common).
- Verify the Gallery: Only buy from galleries that have a long-standing relationship with the Lennon estate.
- Check Auction Records: Use sites like MutualArt or Invaluable to see what similar pieces have actually sold for recently. Don't rely on "list prices."
- Conservation: If you land an original or a high-end lithograph, keep it out of direct sunlight. The ink John used and the signature on many prints are prone to fading.