Self-Portrait - REMBRANDT
What is a self-portrait?
A self-portrait is a work of art, like a picture or a sculpture, that an artist has made of themselves.
Every artist is different, so every self-portrait is different too.
A self-portrait can look like the artist who made it, or a self-portrait can look more abstract.
Abstract means it doesn't need to look exactly like you.
A self-portrait can show more than just how the artist looks.
It can tell a story about the artist or include their favourite things.
Some artists might choose to use particular colours to show a mood or a feeling. or might choose to include their favourite animals.
When you make a self-portrait, you can choose what to include and what to leave out.
You could experiment with posing and show yourself in different positions Or you could include different objects and wear special clothes.
You can decide how you want your facial expression to be.
It could be serious, Or you could smile, You can make a self-portrait using all sorts of materials, including paint, pencil, charcoal and different media, such as sculpture and photography Or you could make a self-portrait digitally on a computer, a tablet or a phone.
There are lots of reasons why artists make self-portraits.
Some artists make self-portraits as a way of showing the kind of person they are.
Some artists make self-portraits as a way of expressing how they feel.
And some artists make self-portraits to show people their artistic skills.
Vincent van Gogh, “Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear,” oil on canvas, 1889
Pablo Picasso, Self-portrait, 1907 by
Frida Kahlo ,Self-portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird, 1940, Oil on canvas on Masonite.
Self-portraits by Rembrandt
Rembrandt's self-portraits are among the most impressive and honest artworks in history, showcasing his technical skill and deep self-reflection.
He created about 80 self-portraits, far more than any other artist of his time. These include around 40 paintings, 31 etchings, and 7 drawings. Over four decades, they document his journey—from a young, ambitious artist to a confident master at the height of his success, and finally, to an aging and troubled figure in his later years
A more cheerful pose painted on copper. Rembrandt Laughing,
c. 1628, re-discovered in 2008,[19] J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
Self-Portrait in a Gorget, c. 1629, oil on panel (Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nuremberg)
Self-portrait, 1640, wearing a costume in the style of over a century earlier. The pose relates to his etching of 1639 (below) and the Titian portrait A Man with a Quilted Sleeve.[26] National Gallery, London
Self Portrait, oil on canvas, 1652. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna. The first for several years. As in the drawing of the same year, Rembrandt wears his working clothes, except perhaps for his hat, which draws on historical styles and earlier portraits.
Self-Portrait at the Age of 63 - Dated 1669, the year he died, though he looks much older in other portraits.
National Gallery, London