Artists and Self-Portraits

Although I created a few early on, I have never been particularly interested in making portraits or self-portraits. Many artists, however, feel quite differently. Here is a self-portrait by Chuck Close:

Here is Portrait of a Man by Van Eyck—a work many believe is actually a self-portrait. (I love turbans.)

Self-portraits were an integral part of Frida Kahlo’s artistic practice. Shown here: Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird.

Here is an unconventional self-portrait by Salvador Dalí: Soft Self-Portrait with Grilled Bacon. Notice his iconic, upturned mustache.

Another artist who created many self-portraits throughout his career is Giorgio de Chirico. Here is his first self-portrait—though he also frequently depicted himself in costume:

Although Louise Bourgeois is known mainly as a sculptor, here is a self-portrait on paper. Notice the mask superimposed onto the body of the feline animal:

Celebrated contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama is world-renowned for her immersive polka-dot installations. Here is one of her self-portraits:

Artists are remarkably observant and often brutally honest when depicting others. But what about when they look in the mirror? They can be just as unforgiving with themselves. Here is a self-portrait by Lucian Freud:

I do not like the work of Norman Rockwell—to me, his art is mediocre at best and cloying at worst. However, I am including his self-portrait here to demonstrate how artists have historically relied on mirrors to create self-portraits:

Here is another take on a self-portrait: The Art of Painting (or The Painter in His Studio) by Johannes Vermeer.

I no longer participate in group shows. You rarely get a true sense of anyone’s work in that setting, and unsatisfactory art often creeps in. However, if given the right cast of characters, I might reconsider. One artist I would jump at the chance to exhibit alongside is Kehinde Wiley. Here is his self-portrait:

Here is a self-portrait of Vincent van Gogh at his most vulnerable and self-destructive—capturing a deeply troubled state of mind. After all, most of us do not cut off our own ears:

Here is the most disturbing self-portrait I have come across: The Desperate Man (Le Désespéré) by Gustave Courbet.

You would not expect Marcel Duchamp to have created a traditional self-portrait. Here is his Self-Portrait in Profile:

If we are talking about self-portraits, we have to include their latest evolution: the selfie. Here is master of disguise Cindy Sherman taking selfies:

Here is Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic self-portrait. Gone since 1519 and still setting records for the highest price paid for a painting—bravo, Signor da Vinci!

Here is a self-portrait by Francis Bacon, who famously stated: “I loathe my face . . . I’ve done a lot of self-portraits, really because people have been dying around me like flies and I’ve nobody else left to paint but myself.”

Here is Pablo Picasso’s Self-Portrait Facing Death, created just a year before his demise. His gaze is terrified, yet brave:

Here is Giovanni Boldini’s portrait of Maestro Giuseppe Verdi alongside my own self-portrait as Verdi. He is my favorite opera composer—we even share a birthday! This piece also offers a brief look into my pre-BLUE identity:

Pop artist Andy Warhol also experimented heavily with identity, creating numerous self-portraits in drag:

This painting concludes my foray into self-portraits. Hailing from the Baroque period, it is by Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato—a painter who may not enjoy the household fame of other artists featured here, but whose work remains a masterclass in the genre. Notice the exquisite beauty of his lines and the crisp, deliberate execution of his forms: