Artwork
Self-Portrait
Self-Portrait is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Umberto Boccioni. It dates from 1905 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
’ The painting thus functions as a statement of artistic identity and a bridge between traditional portraiture and avant‑garde experimentation.
The 1905 Self-Portrait shows the artist seated before a muted background, his posture upright and gaze direct, emphasizing self-assurance. Boccioni renders himself in a dark coat with a high collar, a subtle mustache, and a contemplative expression that suggests introspection and the role of the modern painter as both creator and observer. The work lacks overt allegorical symbols, yet the controlled lighting and the flat, almost sculptural brushwork hint at his Futurist interest in volume and the flattening of space, foreshadowing his later theories of ‘the continuation of sensations.’
The painting thus functions as a statement of artistic identity and a bridge between traditional portraiture and avant‑garde experimentation.
Technique & Style
This 1905 self-portrait by Umberto Boccioni is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard medium for early-twentieth-century portraiture. The work is classified as a painting and takes the form of a self-portrait depicting the artist himself. According to the catalogued dimensions, the canvas measures 51.4 cm in height by 68.6 cm in width, giving it a horizontal, landscape orientation.
The piece is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Beyond these basic material and dimensional facts, the available sources do not document the specific handling of the paint, the condition of the support, or the formal and stylistic qualities of the composition.
History & Provenance
Umberto Boccioni executed this oil-on-canvas self-portrait in 1905. The work depicts the artist himself and measures 51.4 by 68.6 centimeters. Currently, the painting is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains located.
The available records confirm the inception date as January 1, 1905, and identify the piece specifically as a portrait genre work created by Boccioni during his early career.
Umberto Boccioni's 1905 oil painting, Self-Portrait, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The work, measuring 51.4 by 68.6 centimeters, depicts the artist and is classified as a self-portrait. While the sources confirm its presence in the Met's collection and its creation date, they do not provide a specific inventory or accession number for the piece.
Furthermore, the available documentation does not list any specific exhibition history, venues, or dates where the painting has been displayed since its acquisition.
Overview
Umberto Boccioni's Self-Portrait, an oil painting from 1905, offers an early glimpse into the artist's developing style. This work, created during a pivotal period in his career, captures his own likeness with a direct and introspective gaze. The painting is currently part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, representing a significant piece from his pre-Futurist output.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Umberto Boccioni was an influential Italian painter and sculptor. He helped shape the revolutionary aesthetic of the Futurism movement as one of its principal figures. Despite his short life, his approach to the…
