Artwork
Self-Portrait
Self-Portrait is an unspecified painting by the French Classical Baroque artist Charles Alphonse du Fresnoy. It dates from 1647 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the artist himself, presenting a direct self-representation that emphasizes his identity as a painter.
The painting depicts the artist himself, presenting a direct self-representation that emphasizes his identity as a painter. The work functions as a statement of professional self-awareness, using the conventions of portraiture to convey the sitter's status within the artistic community. Its meaning is tied to the act of self-examination and the assertion of artistic persona in the mid-seventeenth century.
Technique & Style
The Self-Portrait by Charles Alphonse du Fresnoy is classified as a painting, executed in 1647 and held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. The work is documented with dimensions of 380.0 in height and 300.0 in width, indicating a large-scale portrait format. It is identified by genre as a self-portrait, with the artist himself as the depicted main subject.
No further technical details regarding the specific medium, support, painting technique, handling, surface condition, or stylistic qualities are provided in the available sources.
History & Provenance
The Self-Portrait is dated to 1647, the year recorded both as its date of creation and its inception. It depicts the artist, Charles Alphonse du Fresnoy, and is executed as a painting in the portrait genre. The work is now held in the Statens Museum for Kunst; the sources do not record any earlier owners, commissions, or changes in possession prior to its arrival at the museum. The painting remains in the Statens Museum for Kunst's collection as of the latest available records.
Charles Alphonse du Fresnoy's 1647 Self-Portrait is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. The work is cataloged as a painting depicting the artist himself, with physical dimensions recorded as 380 cm in height and 300 cm in width. No specific inventory or accession number is provided in the available records, nor is there any documented exhibition history for the piece in the current sources.
Overview
Created in 1647, the Self‑Portrait by Charles Alphonse du Fresnoy presents the artist in a restrained pose against a dark backdrop. The work exemplifies the French Classical Baroque aesthetic, balancing a sober composition with a subtle play of light that draws attention to the sitter’s face and attire.
Context
Du Fresnoy trained under François Perrier and Simon Vouet, both prominent figures in the French Baroque scene. Their influence is evident in the portrait’s classical composition and restrained palette, situating the work within the intellectual currents that shaped French art theory in the mid‑1600s.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Charles Alphonse du Fresnoy (French pronunciation:; 1611 – 16 January 1668) was a French painter, poet and writer on art.
