Artwork
Self-Portrait
Self-Portrait is an unspecified painting by the Rococo painting artist Anton Raphael Mengs. It is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Anton Raphael Mengs’ self‑portrait, executed in 1790, is an oil painting that now belongs to the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. The work presents the artist from the chest upward, set against a deep, muted background that isolates the figure and draws attention to his features and attire.
Subject & Meaning
In the composition, Mengs appears in a red robe trimmed with a black collar, complemented by an orange scarf draped around his neck. His expression is sober, reflecting the dignified self‑presentation typical of academic portraiture in the late eighteenth century.
Technique & Style
The painting employs chiaroscuro, with illumination arriving from the viewer’s left, modeling the face and folds of the clothing in three‑dimensional relief. The contrast between the dark backdrop and the illuminated figure enhances the sense of volume and gives the portrait a restrained, scholarly tone.
History & Provenance
Created toward the end of Mengs’ career, the portrait entered the Gemäldegalerie’s holdings in Berlin, where it is displayed as part of the museum’s collection of German and European art from the Enlightenment era.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Self-Portrait
Portrait of George van der Myn, Painter
Anton Rafael Mengs, padre de la artista
Self-portrait
Selbstbildnis
Portrait of the Artist's Father, Ismael Mengs
Anton Raphael Mengs
Portrait of Louis Métayer Phz., Goldsmith and Art Collector
Self-portrait in green dressing gown
Portrait of Louis Métayer Phz., Goldsmith and Art Collector
Self-Portrait