SELF PORTRAITS
Visual Art
What is a
self-portrait?
Sofonisba Anguissola
(c. 1532 - 1625)
She served as court painter
to the Queen of Spain.
She also painted several
self-portraits and family
portraits.
A self- portrait is an art work made by an artist,
using their own image, and themselves as the
subject matter.
Vincent Van
Gogh
1853-1890
My painting is one
of the first examples
of a self portrait.
My name is Jan van
Eyck!
Jan van Eyck
Man in a Red Turban
(1433)
Élisabeth VigéeLebrun painted
several self-portraits
that were hugely
successful in the
Paris Salons.
Here is her portrait at
age 22.
Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun
Self-portrait
1782
My name is
Albert Druer, my
work was based
on math,
proportion , and
perspective.
Which was better
than some of the
artists of my
time!
THE ARTIST USUALLY WORKS
FROM A REFLECTION IN A
MIRROR.
WITH THE ADVENT OF THE
CAMERA ARTISTS COULD
THEN USE A PHOTOGRAPH
TO MAKE THEIR SELF
PORTRAITS.
Early
cameras…
Self
Portrait
Lorenzo di Credi (Florentine,
c1457/1459-1536), Self-Portrait,
1488, oil on panel transferred to
canvas, 44 x 30.5 cm (17 3/8 x 12”)
©National Gallery of Art, Washington,
Widener Collection
Self
Portrait
Charles Willson Peale, SelfPortrait with Angelica and Portrait
of Rachel, c. 1782-1785, oil on
canvas, 91.8 x 68.9 cm (36 1/8 x
27 1/8”) ©Museum of Fine Arts,
Houston, The Bayou Bend Collection,
Gift of Miss Ima Hogg
Self Portrait
Pablo
Picasso
18811973
Self Portrait
Mary
Cassatt
18441926
We started to see their emotions……………
Gustave Courbet, Self Portrait
(The Desperate Man), c. 1843.
Self Portrait
Kathe
Kollwitz
18671945
Self Portrait
Andy
Warhol
19281987
Self Portrait
Marc
Chagall
18871985
We see their personality
Roger Shimomura
1939-
Self Portrait
Frida
Kahlo
19071954
You are going to
make a realistic self
portrait, like mine!
Stare into my eyes
and see who blinks
first.
Giuseppe Arcimboldo,
Self portrait,
c. 1577
The goal of this assignment will be to create a selfportrait that is interesting and artistic, rather than just
informational.
Although these portraits are drawn well, they are not
expressive. The compositions are not exciting and
basically pretty boring.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS SELF PORTRAIT AGAIN.
HOW HAS THE ARTIST MADE THIS MORE
INTERESTING?
What about in this one?
These images show the viewer looking straight ahead.
Are they still dramatic and interesting?
Be creative with how you approach a portrait.
Your composition is important, and it’s not always the front of
the face that creates a successful work of art.
Don’t be afraid to make expressive marks.
THE IMPORTANCE OF VALUE SHOULD
NEVER BE OVERLOOKED.
Using
contrast by
putting white
next to darks
creates a
dramatic
effect.
You may also think about adding props to your
portrait to help convey a message.
We are going to practice first.