Selbstporträt

Ivanov employs chiaroscuro to model the figure, contrasting the illuminated face and coat against a deep brown backdrop. The handling of oil paint creates subtle gradations of light, giving the portrait a three‑dimensional presence. The restrained palette and classical compositional balance reflect the Neoclassical aesthetic that characterized his larger historical works.

Created during the reigns of Tsars Alexander I and Nicholas I, the self‑portrait was likely intended as a personal record rather than a commissioned piece. It entered the Tretyakov Gallery’s holdings, where it remains on display as part of the museum’s representation of early 19th‑century Russian painting.