Artwork
Self-Portrait
Self-Portrait is an oil painting by the Realist artist Henri Fantin-Latour. It dates from 1858 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
The physical object is currently held within the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where its material composition of oil and canvas remains intact.
Created in 1858, Henri Fantin-Latour's Self-Portrait is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures 25.4 centimeters in height and 20 centimeters in width, presenting a compact format for the artist's depiction of himself. As a portrait genre piece, the painting focuses on the representation of the male artist.
The medium of oil allows for the specific handling required to render the subject's features, consistent with the classification of the work as a painting. The physical object is currently held within the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where its material composition of oil and canvas remains intact.
History & Provenance
Self-Portrait (1858) by Henri Fantin-Latour is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, as recorded in the museum's catalogue. The painting is listed under the museum's holdings, though a specific accession or inventory number is not provided in the available documentation. The work is classified as an oil on canvas self-portrait.
Exhibition records are not detailed in the cited sources, so no exhibition history can be confirmed from the current data.
Overview
Henri Fantin-Latour's Self-Portrait, painted in oil in 1858, presents the artist himself with a directness characteristic of the Realist movement. This work exemplifies his focus on unembellished representation rather than idealized forms. The French painter and lithographer, also recognized for his still-life compositions and group portraits of Parisian cultural figures, created this piece which is now part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts Fantin-Latour with a dark beard and mustache, clad in a dark jacket with a white collar. His face is subtly turned to the left, and his gaze is directed downwards, conveying a sense of quiet introspection. This pose, combined with the absence of embellishment, aligns with the Realist emphasis on capturing individuals as they are, inviting viewers to observe a moment of personal reflection rather than a grand narrative.
Context
Created during a period when Fantin-Latour was developing his distinctive approach, this self-portrait reflects his broader artistic interests. While he later became renowned for his detailed still lifes and his large-scale group portraits featuring prominent Parisian intellectuals and artists, this early work demonstrates his commitment to portraiture and the Realist principles of objective observation. It situates him within a movement that valued authenticity over romanticized depictions.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Ignace Henri Jean Theodore Fantin-Latour (French pronunciation:; 14 January 1836 – 25 August 1904) was a French painter and lithographer best known for his flower paintings and group portraits of Parisian artists and writers.
