Self-Portrait at Easel
1897
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1897
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Here’s Petitjean standing at his easel, brush in hand, staring right at you. The room behind him is loose and sketchy—almost like he painted it in a hurry. He made five self-portraits late in life, all because he loved Rembrandt. This one feels like a quiet argument: art isn’t just for galleries, it’s part of everyday life. The anarchist writer Charles-Albert shaped his thinking, pushing him to see painting as something bigger than himself. If you like this, look up chiaroscuro—the way light and shadow play in Rembrandt’s portraits.
