Artwork
Self-portrait
Self-portrait is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Abraham de Vries. It dates from 1621 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the artist Abraham de Vries himself, making it a self-portrait.
The painting depicts the artist Abraham de Vries himself, making it a self-portrait. As both creator and subject, de Vries presents himself directly to the viewer, a convention that in early seventeenth-century Dutch art typically asserted the painter's social status and professional identity. The work's primary subject is therefore the artist's own likeness, engaging with traditions of self-representation that emphasized individual skill and burgeoning artistic self-awareness during the Dutch Golden Age.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1621, this self-portrait by Abraham de Vries is an oil painting on canvas. The work measures 79 cm in height and 65 cm in width. As a portrait genre piece, it depicts the artist himself as the primary subject.
The application of oil paint on a woven canvas support reflects standard practices for Dutch portraiture of the early seventeenth century.
History & Provenance
Abraham de Vries executed this self-portrait in 1621, utilizing oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures 79 cm in height and 65 cm in width. While specific details regarding the original commission or the chain of ownership prior to its current location are not provided in the available records, the painting is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The piece serves as a depiction of the artist himself, consistent with the self-portrait genre.
Abraham de Vries's Self-portrait, an oil painting on canvas created in 1621, is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work measures 79 cm in height and 65 cm in width. While the source identifies the location and collection, it does not provide a specific inventory or accession number for the piece. Additionally, the available records do not document a history of exhibitions for this artwork.
The painting depicts the artist himself and remains part of the Rijksmuseum's holdings.
Overview
Created in 1621, this oil on canvas self‑portrait presents the Dutch painter Abraham de Vries at work. The work belongs to the Dutch Golden Age, a period of intense artistic activity in the early seventeenth century, and is currently housed in the Rijksmuseum’s collection.
Context
The painting reflects the broader cultural emphasis on learned artists during the Dutch Golden Age, when painters often displayed books and instruments to signal intellectual pursuits. De Vries’s inclusion of texts on symmetry and artistic theory aligns with contemporary interests in scientific inquiry and the professionalization of the visual arts.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Abraham de Vries (c. 1590 – 1649 or 1650) was a Dutch painter who was one of the leading portraitists of his age. As he led a peripatetic lifestyle and worked in France, Antwerp and the Dutch Republic his stylistic…
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