“Autoportrait”
This moody oil painting on card mounted on canvas, titled “Autoportrait”, is by the French realist artist, Edgar Degas, and dates to 1862. This is one of many self-portraits that Degas did during his lifetime and one of two that he made during this year.
His formal studies at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris exposed him to the many self-portraits of famous art masters such as Rembrandt, Delacroix, and Courbet. From early on, Degas used himself as the subject for many of his works.
Interestingly, Degas was relatively private so not much of his personal life is known. His self-portraits, therefore, offer viewers a glimpse into what his character might have been. The bold gaze of Degas, with his open collar, and unkempt hair and beard show an intensity, roughness, and expressiveness not seen in other works of his made around the same time.
In 1863, his brother wrote, “he works furiously and thinks only of one thing, his painting” and that passion is seen in this work. This painting remained with Degas until his death. At that time, it was given to his family, and remained with them until 1927 when it was sold as part of Degas’s brother’s estate sale.
In 2012, this painting was up for sale in a Sotheby’s auction. Today, “Autoportrait” is currently in a private collection.
For more on Edgar Degas, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
