Self-portrait

A self-portrait is a portrait that an artist creates of themselves. This artistic genre serves many important functions for the creator. Artists use these works to demonstrate their technical skill to potential clients. A self-portrait kept in a studio can act as a living advertisement. Many artists also create these works as personal gifts for family or friends.

Beyond mere likeness, self-portraits allow artists to explore their own identity and public image.

There are several ways an artist can include themselves in a work. A self-portrait might be a standalone image focusing solely on the artist. Alternatively, the artist may include themselves as a character within a larger composition. This could be a religious scene, a historical event, or a group portrait. In these cases, the artist might appear as a face in a crowd. They often position themselves near the edges or in a corner.

This method allows the work to function as both a history painting and a personal portrait.

Artists use a wide variety of media to capture their likeness. Painting is a common choice, but drawings and prints are also vital. In the modern era, video has become an increasingly important medium. Video adds the dimension of audio to the self-portrait. This allows the artist to speak directly to an audience in their own voice.

Throughout history, the availability of tools like mirrors has changed how these works are made. Better and cheaper mirrors allowed for more frequent and accurate depictions.

Self-portraiture has a very long and global history. In Ancient Egypt, the chief sculptor Bak created a self-portrait in 1365 BC. The Greek sculptor Phidias is also said to have included his likeness in the "Battle of the Amazons" on the Parthenon. In Asia, particularly in China, self-portraits have a long continuous history. Some Chinese scholar-gentlemen depicted themselves as small figures within massive landscapes. Other Zen Buddhist traditions produced lively, semi-caricatured self-portraits.

These diverse traditions show how different cultures value the individual through art.

In Europe, the genre became truly popular during the Renaissance. This shift occurred due to increased wealth and a growing interest in the individual. Jan van Eyck's "Portrait of a Man in a Turban" from 1433 may be the earliest known panel self-portrait. He used a mirror in his "Arnolfini Portrait" (1434) to show a tiny reflection of himself. This clever technique likely inspired Diego Velázquez in his 1656 work, "Las Meninas."

Albrecht Dürer was another landmark figure in this era. He was a prolific artist who produced at least twelve images of himself, including a silverpoint drawing made when he was only thirteen.

Certain artists are famous for the sheer number of self-portraits they produced. Rembrandt created an unprecedented number of paintings and prints of himself. He even included his wife, Saskia, in one of his earliest family self-portraits.

Vincent van Gogh also left behind many significant works, including a self-portrait painted in late September 1889. This piece was a 40 by 31 cm oil on canvas given as a birthday gift to his mother. These repeated studies help us understand the intense dedication and evolving skill of the master artist.

Women painters have also made significant contributions to the genre. Almost all significant women painters, such as Caterina van Hemessen and Frida Kahlo, have left self-portraits. Because women were often unable to train in drawing the nude until the 20th century, many specialized in portraiture.

Women often depicted themselves as the artist at work, holding a brush and palette. They might also wear elaborate clothing to demonstrate their ability to paint fine details. This tradition allows us to see the many different roles women have held within the art world.