Artwork
Self Portrait
Self Portrait is an oil painting by Charles Verlat. It dates from 1863 and is held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1863, this oil painting is a self‑portrait by the Belgian artist Charles Verlat. The work presents the painter seated, his dark hair and beard framed by a formal jacket and bow tie, while he holds a brush in his right hand. A muted brown backdrop isolates the figure, emphasizing his direct gaze and contemplative demeanor.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait captures Verlat as a professional artist, his posture and the inclusion of a brush foregrounding his vocation. The serious expression and steady eye contact invite the viewer into a moment of quiet reflection on the artist’s identity and practice.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the painting employs a restrained palette dominated by earth tones. Verlat’s handling of light subtly models the facial features and fabric, while the smooth background contrasts with the more detailed rendering of the sitter’s attire and hands.
History & Provenance
Charles Verlat, who later directed the Antwerp Academy, produced this work during a period when he was establishing his reputation for portraiture, animal subjects, and Orientalist scenes. The painting remains part of the documented oeuvre that illustrates his development as a leading 19th‑century Belgian painter.
Artist & collection
Artist
Charles Verlat or Karel Verlat (25 November 1824 – 23 October 1890) was a Belgian painter, watercolorist, engraver (printmaker), art educator and director of the Antwerp Academy.
Self Portrait
Portrait of a painter with a palette in his hand
The Painter Eugène François De Block
Self-portrait as a young man
Self-portrait
Zacharie Astruc
The Painter Charles Verlat
Male portrait
Autoportret
Portrait of Prince Witold Adam Czartoryski (1822–1865)
Portretul pictorul Gh. Tattarescu
Self-portrait