Artwork
Self-Portrait
Self-Portrait is a paint painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Nicolas Poussin. It dates from 1649 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Nicolas Poussin’s self‑portrait, executed in 1649, is an oil painting that presents the artist at the age of fifty‑five. The work bears a full Latin inscription identifying Poussin as a native of Les Andelys, a member of the Roman Academy, and the first painter in ordinary to King Louis XIV of France. It is now part of the Gemäldegalerie collection in Berlin.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows Poussin in a dark coat, holding a paintbrush and a bound volume titled *De lumine et colore*—a treatise on light and colour by an unidentified author. The serious expression, moustache, and wavy hair convey the painter’s professional identity, while the book suggests an intellectual engagement with the theory of optics and pigment.
Technique & Style
Rendered with a restrained palette, the portrait employs strong chiaroscuro to model the figure against a muted, rocky backdrop. The brush in the artist’s hand appears worn, its bristles softened by use, emphasizing the passage of time and the craft of painting. Subtle modeling of the face and hands demonstrates Poussin’s command of tonal contrast.
History & Provenance
The painting was originally dedicated to Poussin’s patron Jean Pointel. In 1821 it entered the Prussian state collection as part of the Edward Solly acquisition, and it has remained in Berlin’s Gemäldegalerie ever since. The work’s provenance traces a clear path from the artist’s studio to a major public museum.
Context
Created late in Poussin’s career, the portrait reflects his standing as a court painter and academician in Rome. The inclusion of a treatise on light aligns with contemporary debates on colour theory, a subject that occupied many Baroque artists who sought to reconcile scientific inquiry with artistic practice.
Artist & collection
Artist
Nicolas Poussin (UK: , US: , French: ; June 1594 – 19 November 1665) was a leading painter of the classical French Baroque style, although he spent most of his working life in Rome.
