Self-portrait

Self-portraits are pictures that artists make of themselves. People have been creating self-portraits for a very long time. They became more common in the mid-15th century because mirrors became better and cheaper. Artists began making small portraits on wooden panels.

One of the earliest known self-portraits on a panel is Portrait of a Man in a Turban by Jan van Eyck from 1433. He was part of a group of people who often asked for portraits, especially in places like the Netherlands.

During the Renaissance, when people had more money and became more interested in individuals, self-portraits became very popular. By the Baroque period, most famous artists made drawings of themselves. These self-portraits were sometimes printed and sold, given as gifts, or kept to show an artist's skills to new customers. Rembrandt made many self-portraits, showing how powerful this kind of art could be.

Types

A self-portrait is a picture an artist makes of themselves. Artists have included themselves in their paintings since early times. Sometimes they are the main subject, and sometimes they appear as smaller parts of a bigger work. In the past, artists often put themselves in scenes from stories or religious paintings, usually as faces in the background.

Artists have used many different ways to make self-portraits, including drawings and prints, not just paintings. Famous artists like Albrecht Dürer and Rembrandt made many self-portraits. Today, artists also use video to make self-portraits.

Gallery: Inserted self-portraits

Sandro Botticelli’s 1475 painting of the Adoration of the Magi includes a small self-portrait in the corner. This is a common way artists added themselves to big paintings.

Many women artists have made self-portraits. Artists like Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun and Frida Kahlo painted many pictures of themselves. These self-portraits often show the artists working with their painting tools. Women artists have been important in showing themselves in different roles in their art.

Antiquity

Artists have made pictures of themselves for a very long time. In Ancient Egyptian paintings, sculptures, and Ancient Greek vases, we can see images of artists working. One of the earliest known self-portraits was made around 1365 BC by Bak, the main sculptor for the Pharaoh Akhenaten. The writer Plutarch tells us that the famous Ancient Greek sculptor Phidias may have included pictures of himself in the artwork called the "Battle of the Amazons" on the Parthenon. However, none of these very old self-portraits still exist today.

Asia

Self-portraits have been made for a long time in Asian art, especially in China. Many of these pictures are small and show the artist in a big landscape, sometimes with writing about the scene. Another style, linked to Zen Buddhism, has lively and playful self-portraits, while some look more like formal portraits.

European art

Illuminated manuscripts have early examples of self-portraits. They show artists like Saint Dunstan and Matthew Paris working or giving their books. Orcagna might have painted himself in a fresco from 1359, but we are not sure.

Early known self-portraits include works by Johannes Aquila in Velemér (1378) and Martjanci (1392). In Italy, artists such as Giotto di Bondone, Masaccio, and Benozzo Gozzoli added themselves to their paintings. Sandro Botticelli also showed himself as a viewer in his Adoration of the Magi from 1475.

Albrecht Dürer was one of the first artists to make many self-portraits. He created at least twelve images of himself, including three oil portraits. His self-portraits show him at different ages and often in nice clothes. Dürer’s work helped make self-portraits popular with other artists.

During the Renaissance, many great painters like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo added themselves to bigger works. Titian painted himself as an old man in the 1560s. Later, artists like Rembrandt became famous for their many self-portraits. They showed themselves at different ages and in many costumes.

Self-portraits in general

Self-portraits are pictures that artists make of themselves. People have been making self-portraits for a very long time, but they became more common in the mid-1400s. This happened because mirrors became better and cheaper, and artists started painting themselves more often.

Artists sometimes show themselves working in their studios in these paintings. They might choose to dress in their finest clothes or show themselves as they really are while painting. Some famous artists, like Jan van Eyck and Vincent van Gogh, have made many interesting self-portraits over the years.

Art critics say there are different kinds of self-portraits. Some show the artist at work, while others show the artist’s feelings and thoughts. Artists can also put themselves into group paintings or show themselves as famous historical figures. With new technology, people can now create self-portraits in many different ways online and in social media.

Self-portraits often use mirrors, which became common in Europe in the 1400s. Early mirrors were curved, which sometimes made interesting effects in the paintings. Artists like Parmigianino and Salvador Dalí used mirrors to create unique and surprising pictures. Mirrors can also make it look like a right-handed artist is left-handed, unless they use two mirrors.

Many modern and contemporary artists use self-portraits to tell stories from their lives or to create imaginary scenes. These portraits can be very personal and full of meaning. Artists like Diego Velázquez, Rembrandt, and Pablo Picasso have made famous self-portraits that tell more than just what the artist looks like.

Diagnosing the self-portrait

Some artists who had health problems left self-portraits. These portraits help doctors learn about how health issues can affect a person's mind. They also show us how people see themselves when they face mental or physical challenges. Artists like William Utermohlen and Bryan Charnley are good examples of this.

The artist Egon Schiele made a self-portrait that shows a moment of feeling alone. Researchers study Schiele’s work to learn more about feelings and experiences shown in art.

Collections

One of the oldest and most famous groups of self-portraits is in the Vasari Corridor at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. This group started in the 1600s and has over 200 self-portraits by artists like Pietro da Cortona, Charles Le Brun, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, and Marc Chagall. You can also find important self-portraits at the National Portrait Gallery (United Kingdom) in London and the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Many famous artists have added their own self-portraits to these collections. Self-portraits can be paintings, drawings, or photographs. They show artists drawing or painting pictures of themselves in many different ways.