Who painted Self-Portrait?

Self-Portrait was painted by François LePage in 1824.

Where can I see Self-Portrait?

Self-Portrait is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Self-Portrait?

Self-Portrait is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Self-Portrait

François LePage , 1824

Self-Portrait is an unspecified painting by the Romanticist artist François LePage. It dates from 1824 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

This small oil painting is a self‑portrait of François LePage, a Lyon‑based artist active in the early nineteenth century. The work presents a young man in a dark coat, gazing directly at the viewer while holding a palette and brush. The illumination is soft and warm, reminiscent of candlelight, emphasizing the sitter’s face against a muted background.

Subject & Meaning

LePage chooses to depict himself not as a mere portrait subject but as a working artist, foregrounding the tools of his trade. By presenting the brush and palette, he underscores his identity within the craft of painting, linking his personal image to the professional role he inhabited in Lyon’s artistic community.

Technique & Style

The painting demonstrates the delicate precision associated with Lyon’s flower‑painting tradition, a skill inherited from LePage’s family. Fine brushwork renders the textures of the coat and the subtle play of light on the skin, while the overall composition balances restraint with a gentle chiaroscuro that highlights the figure without elaborate detail.

History & Provenance

Created in Lyon, a city renowned for its silk production and floral motifs, the portrait reflects the local artistic milieu that prized meticulous decorative work. The work has remained in regional collections, tracing its ownership through Lyon’s galleries and private hands, illustrating the continued appreciation of the city’s specialized painting school.

Context

Lyon’s School of painting in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries emphasized decorative subjects, particularly floral designs for silk textiles. Artists trained within this environment developed a refined hand and keen observation, qualities evident in LePage’s self‑portrait, which bridges the decorative tradition with the emerging emphasis on individual artistic identity.