Monday 19 May 2014

Research Point: Self Portraits - Part One

What a potentially enormous research point! I have had to be selective here in my write up but I did enjoy this research. I have divided this research point into four sections as it is very 'image heavy'.

My starting point was to read "A Face to the World - On Self Portraits" by Laura Cummings (Harper Press 2010). I found this a hugely enjoyable read. It was well written and flowed nicely and gave an insight into many aspects of self portraiture.  Prior to that I also read The Oxford History of Art "Portraiture" by Shearer West (Oxford University Press 2004) which also contains a chapter on the subject of self portraits.

History

Before the renaissance, self-portraits were not frequently seen and the language to describe them was also different - they were termed 'a likeness of the artist by their own hand'. In her book, Cummings questions the received notion that before the 18the century there was no 'sense of self' and that a self-portrait cannot exist without the language to describe it as such. Historians have argued that for example Rembrandt's numerous self portraits were simply stimulated by commerce, products for sale air a convenient means of practising technique.

Before the first recognised individual self portraits it was common for an artist to appear in a larger work on the sidelines as a kind of signature. An example of this is the reflection of the artist in Jan Van Eyck's Arnolfini portrait which is a bit like a modern day graffiti of 'Van Eyck was here'


Reflection of Jan Van Eyck in the Arnolfini
Portrait

The Arnolfini Portrait 1434
However, Van Eyck also painted "Portrait of a Man in 1434 which depicts a man in a red turban. Given that Van Eyck was known to have worn a similar turban it is quite possible that his is one of the earliest self portraits


Portrait of a Man (Self Portrait?) 1433
Some of the earliest prolific painters of self portraits were Albrecht Dürer and Rembrandt van Rijn and I shall look more closely at these two artists shortly but first I want to look at some famous self-portraits on the sidelines of larger works. The artist here is involved in the action as a type of signature or even seeming to make a comment about the action or about themselves. 

Artists on the Sidelines

The Adoration of the Magi. Sandro Botticelli 1475

In the Adoration of the Magi, as well as including the likenesses of several of his rich patrons (this was a common way of demonstrating wealth and faith in those days to try to ensure favour with heaven). Botticelli himself appears in the lower right hand corner. While very one else is directing their attention within the painting (mostly towards the holy family), Botticelli gazes outwards at us but with quite a confrontational , almost disdainful glance. Is he challenging us to demonstrate our own faith or commenting about the circus of the rich being included in these religious paintings as participants in holy events?

Detail of the Last Judgement. 1538-41
Michelangelo Buonarroti 

In the last Judgement, Michelangelo himself appears, but with a difference. He appears as an empty shell, a limp piece of skin wearing the mask of Michelangelo.  The artist was in his late sixties when he painted this and was preoccupied with thoughts of death and resurrection and of redemption or absolution for his past sins. He longs to rid himself of his mortal body in order to be reborn.

The Taking of Christ. 1602
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio

Caravaggio appears within the violent action of his painting "The taking of Christ" - in fact he is complicit in the action. Not only does he make the scene visible to use but he is also helping the soldiers who are arresting Christ by his action of holding up the lantern. Caravaggio certainly had some issues, His painting late in life egged deeply with religious issues - he may have been looking for forgiveness for his previous crimes or genuinely contemplating his own death after being left for dead in an alley in Naples. In his work of David and Goliath he casts himself as the dead head of Goliath.




Why do artists paint self portraits? There may be many possible reasons: As a product for sale (see above and below about Rembrandt), to show off technical skill (see Parmigianino), as a convenient way to practise facial expressions (Rembrandt again), to proclaim their status (see Dürer, Velazques,Van Dyck) and their purpose in life as and artist (Artemesia Gentileschi, Philip Guston)  or as a sort of visual autobiography (Rembrandt again).  Over the years the purpose of self portraiture has developed further; some have used it as an exploration of psychological or physical states ( Egon Schiele, Frida Kahlo, Edvard Munch, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner) or as a means of social commentary (Felix Nussbaum - self portrait with Jewish Identity Card 1943). Some prolific self portraitists are simply narcissists (Courbet) while others use their body as a means to express something and are portraying concepts or characters other than themselves (Cindy Sherman, Ana Mendieta). 

Albrecht Dürer
 Dürer produced his first self portrait at the age of 13years in silverpoint which is an extremely difficult and unforgiving medium.


Albrecht Dürer 1484

This drawing show considerable technical ability and also makes us wonder about how he could have drawn himself from this angle - he may have used several mirrors and would have had to compensate for the curvature of the mirrors as flat mirrors were not readily available in that period.

Albrecht Dürer 1493
In his 1493 self portrait to my eyes he looks quite effete. He is holding a thistle-like plant called Eryngium which may be a symbol of christ's suffering thereby declaring his piety. It is also thought to be variously a symbol of fidelity, an aphrodisiac and to guard against impotence. Some, therefore think that this is a betrothal gift to his future wife. That being so, he does not give the impression of being very enthusiastic about the union.

Albrecht Dürer 1498
Dürer was concerned with raising the status of the artist within Germany. Before the renaissance period, artists were valued for their technical skills and nothing more. When he travelled to Italy, Dürer found that artists were treated with greater respect than they were in his home country. He wanted to get away from the artist being seen as a manual labourer. In this 1498 self-portrait he portrays himself in a fancy costume wearing fine white gloves as if to emphasise that he is not a manual worker but a person of status.

He seems to take this to extremes in his 1500 self portrait:

Albrecht Dürer 1500

This is a startling painting emanating a golden glow. The artist is seen facing and looking out at us. His face and shiny ringlets of hair are very symmetrical. He draws attention towards himself and towards the luxurious fuse he wears with the gesture of his hand. The most striking thing, however is that he looks so much like Jesus (or of icons depicting Christ). This must surely have been deliberate and would have been recognised as such by his contemporaries. Was this extreme arrogance? Why was this not considered blasphemy/heresy?

Rembrandt

Rembrandt produced more than eighty self portraits over his lifetime. They cannot help in some way being autobiographical, but was this what he intended? Many historians would argue that in the 17th century it was too early for the artist to have any real sense of self and that Rembrandt produced these self portraits purely as a product to sell, or to demonstrate his skills to potential buyers or for practising facial expressions. Looking at some of these self portraits it is difficult to believe that there was little in the way of self knowledge and perception going on. 

Rembrandt Etching C1630
It could be argued of the etching above that the artist is using his own face as a convenient model for a series of etchings of different facial expressions.

Young Rembrandt in 1628
Age 34 in 1640



Rembrandt 1657


Self Portrait as Zeuxis 1662



Rembrandt 1663
The four examples above show the great variation in Rembrandt both in character and technique over the years. The your Rembrandt's eyes are shadowed with only his cheek illuminated. By 1640 he is portraying himself as a rich and confident member of society with his very upright and proud posture, illuminated face and fine clothing.  As he gets older and his popularity wanes so the self portraits change. In 1657 he is in darkness with only his face illuminated. He looks old with a furrowed brow. His gaze looks out at us in an almost accusatory way. The self portrait as Zeuxis shows him portraying the role of a character from Greek legend who apparently died of mirth. His painting technique is much rougher here and his grin is more of a grimace - I can almost imagine a hollow and sarcastic laugh at his situation. . 
In 1663 he returns to a more recognisable Rembrandt style with the bod chiaroscuro and the golden light illuminating his face. He depicts himself at the easel, a commanding figure although not as grand as some of his previous depictions as a rich burgher. The look he gives us is hard to read. His eyes are in shadow. To me it has a certain defiance about it as if to say 'look at me still painting even though I'm not so popular anymore'. Others interpret this look as stern but forgiving. It may be that the circles in the background are a reference to the legend of the perfect freehand circles of Apelles. If that is so then I think this is defiance - that he is saying they he considers himself among the creates of artists.

Reference Material used: 
"A Face to the World - On Self Portraits" by Laura Cummings (Harper Press 2010). 

The Oxford History of Art "Portraiture" by Shearer West (Oxford University Press 2004) 



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