OK, I know that the original joking premise of these posts has worn a little thin, but the self-portraits are as strong as ever.
(Images above, w/links to my posts: Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin, Arnold Böcklin, M.C. Escher, Alice Pike Barney, Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Käthe Kollwitz, Norman Rockwell, Gerrit Dou)
Wow, Ms Kollwitz’s drawing is simply AMAZING.
Yes. Many of her drawings and etchings are.
Yes they are strong as ever. Fascinating too is how each is unique to each artists own art. I know that may sound obvious but they are not mere mirrored academic portraits (busts) of themselves.
The use of props, some are not just busts, Rockwell shows himself 3 times and seems to suggest a controlled chaotic setting (maybe reflective of his demanding illustration deadlines?), Eschers’ is his reflection into a prop, Bocklin’s use of a skeleton… all indicative of their work.
Stop saying selfies.
Really, these are great posts.
That’s true, David J Teter, about the self portraits often reflecting the author’s agenda. Funny to think how from the 1500s to the 20th century they often tried to build their self esteem by donning clothes and props that elevated them in the eye of the beholder from manual workers to respectable members of the bourgeoisie and beyond…
…and then Rockwell takes the opposite route, trying so hard to deflate any hint of pretention in his own picture…
By the way, I had never noticed that little piece of drama around the glass of coke (will it slide down to the floor? Will he catch it before it does?) on top of the book. Lovely.
