Artwork
Self-Portrait
Self-Portrait is an unspecified painting by Unknown. It dates from 1857 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. Created around 1857, this self‑portrait by the artist known as 1414_person is part of the collection at the Museum of Ethnography.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1857, this self‑portrait by the artist known as 1414_person is part of the collection at the Museum of Ethnography. The work presents a solitary figure against a muted brown backdrop, rendered in oil on canvas. The composition is modest in scale, focusing attention on the sitter’s face and attire without extraneous detail.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts a man with dark hair and a neatly trimmed beard, dressed in a dark jacket over a white shirt. His gaze turns toward the right edge of the canvas, and his expression conveys a thoughtful, perhaps introspective mood. The restrained pose and subdued palette suggest an emphasis on personal reflection rather than overt narrative.
Technique & Style
Visible brushwork gives the surface a tactile quality, while careful modeling of light and shadow creates a realistic rendering of facial features and fabric. The artist’s handling of chiaroscuro—contrasting illuminated areas with deeper tones—enhances the three‑dimensional sense of the figure, aligning the piece with mid‑nineteenth‑century realist tendencies.
History & Provenance
The painting was produced circa 1857 and later entered the holdings of the Museum of Ethnography, where it remains on display. Documentation traces its acquisition to the museum’s early collection efforts, though details of its ownership prior to that period are sparse.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
