Artwork
Self portrait of artist in landscape

Self portrait of artist in landscape is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Julius Caesar Ibbetson. It dates from 1790 and is held in the collection of the National Library of Wales.
About this work
Overview
Julius Caesar Ibbetson’s 1790 oil painting, *Self portrait of artist in landscape*, presents the artist amid an open countryside scene. Dressed in a dark coat and white shirt, he holds a palette while a modest easel stands beside him. The surrounding hills and trees are rendered with a soft, atmospheric quality, creating a clear contrast between figure and environment.
Subject & Meaning
The work functions as a personal statement, showing Ibbetson not only as a painter but as a participant in the natural world he depicts. By positioning himself within the landscape, the artist underscores the connection between creative practice and the surrounding environment, suggesting a contemplative pause in the act of painting.
Technique & Style
Executed in the Rococo idiom, the canvas employs delicate brushwork and a muted palette that soften the background while preserving fine detail in the figure’s attire—buttons, folds, and hosiery are rendered with precision. Light falls gently across the scene, producing a subtle chiaroscuro that models the forms without dramatic contrast.
History & Provenance
Since its creation, the painting has remained in the United Kingdom, entering the collection of the National Library of Wales. The institution’s holdings include the work as part of its broader assemblage of British art, where it is catalogued as an example of late‑18th‑century portraiture and landscape integration.
Artist & collection
Artist
Julius Caesar Ibbetson (29 December 1759 – 13 October 1817) was a British 18th-century landscape and watercolour painter.



















