Who painted Self-Portrait?

Self-Portrait was painted by Jean-Baptiste Greuze in 1790.

Where can I see Self-Portrait?

Self-Portrait is held by Hermitage Museum.

What movement is Self-Portrait?

Self-Portrait is associated with Rococo painting.

Can I buy a print of Self-Portrait?

Museum-quality prints of Self-Portrait are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Self-Portrait

Jean-Baptiste Greuze , 1790

Self-Portrait is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Jean-Baptiste Greuze. It dates from 1790 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.

About this work

Overview

Jean-Baptiste Greuze’s self‑portrait, executed in oil in 1790, presents the artist in his later years. The canvas is part of the State Hermitage Museum’s holdings, offering a rare glimpse of the painter’s own visage rendered with the compositional restraint typical of his mature period.

Subject & Meaning

The work depicts Greuze as an elderly gentleman, his pale complexion and white, curled hair contrasting with a dark brown coat and white cravat. In his right hand he grasps a small instrument—interpreted as a pen or brush—suggesting his identity as a creator and reinforcing the portrait’s introspective tone.

Technique & Style

Soft, diffused illumination falls across the face and hands, modeling the features with a naturalistic subtlety that aligns with late Rococo portraiture. The dark, unadorned background isolates the figure, while the delicate handling of light and shadow creates a gentle chiaroscuro effect without dramatic theatricality.

History & Provenance

Painted toward the end of Greuze’s career, the self‑portrait entered the Russian imperial collection in the 19th century and eventually became part of the State Hermitage Museum’s permanent exhibition. Its acquisition reflects the broader European interest in French genre painters during that era.

Context

By 1790, Greuze had established a reputation for moralizing genre scenes and refined portraiture. This self‑portrait, created amid the waning years of the Rococo movement, demonstrates his shift toward a more restrained, realistic approach, anticipating the neoclassical sensibilities that would dominate French art in the following decade.