This means the artist is typically represented in the painting or drawing, not someone else. One of the characteristics of self-portraits is that the artist is the subject matter in the artwork. Some of the notable characteristics are listed below: The Artist is the Subject There are many different ways that artists can choose to represent themselves in a portrait. What are the Characteristics of a Self-Portrait? Another well-known self-portrait is the oil on panel painting by Albrecht Dürer, which is currently housed in the National Gallery. Many famous self-portraits exist, such as the oil on canvas painting by Rembrandt van Rijn, which is now in a private collection. However, they can also be used to communicate messages to others or to create a sense of narrative. This can be done through various mediums, including painting, drawing, photography, and sculpture. It is usually created using traditional painting, drawing, or sculpture methods. Artists usually create self-portraits to explore their appearance, emotions, and thoughts. And it is this quality, the mysterious facility of the late self portraits, to speak directly to us across the centuries – to speak of the common experience of a shared humanity which makes them one of the crowning achievements of western art.A self-portrait in visual arts refers to a work of art that the artist portrays. As our gaze plays on the profoundly sympathetic features of Rembrandt’s face, we realise that his eyes, even though partially shaded by the brim of the hat, and formed by nothing more than paint, seem to be engaged in a two-way relationship with us – they seem to search for the very soul of the beholder – to burn into one’s psyche. But it is the head and eyes to which the viewer’s attention constantly returns. This exotic ensemble imparts an oriental feel to the painting. A red sash encompasses an ample waist and on his head sits a dark, large brimmed hat. A brocade scarf is tucked within a yellow jerkin with a low horizontal neckline, typical of the early 16th century, made of indeterminate material. He is dressed (as so often in his other self portraits) in 16th-century clothes, which he seems to have collected. The painting is realised in a typically free style creases, in particular on the right sleeve, are often indicated with single strokes of the brush. His left hand (his right hand in reality, transposed via the intervention of the mirror), cursorily painted (as in most self portraits, because of the difficulty in depicting the hand which is engaged in the act of painting), holds a cane with a silver top. It is the largest of all the self portraits and one of the most impressive – the life size figure is seated magisterially – his bulk accentuated by the swathes of exotic garb. So this self portrait, painted two years after the crisis in his financial affairs may be seen as an example of the way that he continued to trade on his fame. It is known that two of his self portraits were in royal collections during his lifetime. Perhaps the most important reason is that there was a thriving market for paintings of famous men and it seems that self portraits were especially collectable in that they were both a representation of a famed individual and at the same time an example of the reason for that fame. Rembrandt produced more than 40 self portraits during his life – a surviving quantity unique in the history of western art. Cosimo met numerous artists and visited 15 in their studios but when writing his travel journal he only referred to three as ‘famoso,’ Rembrandt being one of them. Indeed, in 1667, towards the end of Rembrandt’s life, he received a visit from Cosimo de’ Medici, later the Grand Duke of Tuscany, who was visiting the Netherlands on his Grand Tour. It is true that his financial situation never really recovered after 1656 but recent research has established that he was far from forgotten. A few days later an inventory of his effects was drawn up which illustrated part of the problem – lavish spending on a splendid collection of art – a collection which he had amassed to some extent as an investment but the sale of which could not save him from bankruptcy.īiographers of Rembrandt writing at around the turn of the 19th century and into the 20th, created a romantic vision of Rembrandt after his bankruptcy as a lonely and forgotten genius. On July 14th 1656 Rembrandt applied to the High Court of Holland for cessio bonorum – a voluntary surrender of goods to creditors. Rembrandt: Self Portrait - 1658 New York, Frick Collection
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