Artwork
Selbstbildnis (Kopie nach)
Selbstbildnis (Kopie nach) is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan Lievens. It dates from 1640 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Selbstbildnis (Kopie nach) is an oil portrait from 1640, attributed to Jan Lievens, a Dutch Golden Age painter. Notably, the work does not depict the artist himself, as the title might suggest, but rather a woman.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is a woman with pulled-back dark hair, dressed in a dark outfit with a light collar and a prominent earring, her face illuminated from the left against a dark background. The true identity of the subject and the meaning behind the portrait remain unspecified in available information.
Technique & Style
The painting employs chiaroscuro, a technique characteristic of the period, to create a dramatic lighting effect that accentuates the subject's features, with strong contrasts between light and dark.
History & Provenance
Created in 1640 by Jan Lievens, the painting is now part of the Alte Pinakothek's collection. Lievens, once closely associated with Rembrandt, developed his style through training under Pieter Lastman and experiences in various European cities.
Context
While Lievens' early career overlapped with Rembrandt's, this work reflects his independent stylistic path, influenced by his travels to London, Antwerp, The Hague, and Berlin.
Legacy
As part of the Alte Pinakothek's holdings, Selbstbildnis (Kopie nach) contributes to the museum's collection of Dutch Golden Age art, offering insight into Lievens' contribution to the era's portraiture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Lievens (24 October 1607 – 4 June 1674) was a Dutch Golden Age painter who was associated with his close contemporary Rembrandt, a year older, in the early parts of their careers.
