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Through the artist’s eyes: the self-portrait in the Renaissance

Through the artist’s eyes: the self-portrait in the Renaissance

autoritratto nel rinascimento durer
autoritratto nel rinascimento durer

Today, we highly value the self-portrait and almost take its existence for granted, but this was not always the case. Like other genres, it has evolved over time. The seeds of this particular artistic category were sown during the Renaissance, an era of great cultural renewal that brought the self-portrait into the limelight in new forms that are still admired today.

Before the Renaissance: the self-portrait in the Middle Ages

Information on the self-portrait in classical antiquity is scarce, underscoring its limited role. The discussion of self-portraits begins in the Middle Ages, particularly within monasteries and convents, where both lay and religious scribes and miniaturists created the earliest examples of self-portraits. These self-portraits often carried symbolic elements and hidden meanings.

One of the most intriguing examples is the self-portrait by the Bohemian painter Hildebertus, created in the 12th century within a copy of Città di Dio by Sant’Agostino. The artist depicts himself in a domestic setting, seated cross-legged in front of a lectern supported by a lion, with an open book on top. Below him, his assistant Everwinus (identifiable by an inscription) is hard at work. Behind Hildebertus, a table with a running mouse knocks over a roasted chicken. Hildebertus is poised to throw a stone at the animal. The Latin inscription in the book reads: “Damned mouse, that often disturbs me!” This bizarre scene is actually a tribute to the artist’s work, which, like Sant’Agostino, continues its activities despite distractions.
These allegorical rather than realistic self-portraits are far removed from the authentic portrayal of the artist’s face that began in the 15th century with renowned names.

Autoritratto Hildebertus
Autoritratto, Hildebertus

The Renaissance and the spread of the self-portrait

The first individual painted self-portrait is likely the Uomo col turbante by Jan van Eyck from 1433 (often credited with the invention of oil painting), now in the National Gallery in London. This work without patrons, possibly created to pass his image to his heirs, is not his only self-portrait.

Uomo col turbante Jan van Eyck
Uomo col turbante, Jan van Eyck

The following year, he painted the famous Arnolfini portrait, where he is thought to appear among the men reflected in the convex mirror at the center of the painting.
The mirror, often made of polished metal, was known in medieval times for their symbolic value as tools for inner and mystical investigation rather than physical reflection and were already used in art to better direct light. 

Coniugi Arnolfini Jan Van Eyck
Coniugi Arnolfini, Jan Van Eyck

It was Leon Battista Alberti who definitively legitimized the mirror as a fundamental tool for painters, establishing the self-portrait as a distinct genre. In his 15th century treatise Sulla Pittura, Alberti recommended using a mirror to correct nature’s flaws before painting. This applied equally to the artist’s face, which, reflected in the mirror, became a legitimate subject of observation and painting.
Moreover, in the preface to the vernacular edition of his writing (1436), Alberti refers to Lorenzo Ghiberti, many of whose self-portraits were sculptures. 

porta del paradiso lorenzo ghiberti
Porta del Paradiso, Lorenzo Ghiberti

Ghiberti, known for the bronze doors of the Battistero of the Duomo in Florence (a commission that sparked a fierce rivalry with Filippo Brunelleschi), included his own self-portrait in both sets of doors. 
The two heads, executed about twenty years apart (the first around 1420 and the second in 1447-48), can be seen in the frames of the doors, sharing the same facial expression and downward gaze towards onlookers. Despite aging, Ghiberti maintains an austere and authoritative air, confident in his abilities, as the inscription on the second door attests: “Lorenzo di Cione di Ghiberti made this with marvelous art.” This self-portrait precedes the trend of artists depicting themselves as heroic figures.

The artist as hero and the child prodigy myth

Self-congratulation and self-celebration characterize many self-portraits by Andrea Mantegna, particularly the bronze bust he created for his new home at the end of the 15th century, later used to adorn his funerary chapel.

autoritratto andrea mantegna
Autoritratto, Andrea Mantegna

However, they pale in comparison to the evident satisfaction of Albrecht Dürer, who created 16 self-portraits, often marked with the monogram “AD”. Dürer presents himself as the epitome of Northern beauty and taste, seen in his sumptuous attire, meticulous details, and especially his fine, golden curls. These are meticulously depicted in the three-quarter portrait of 1498 (Prado, Madrid) and the frontal portrait of 1500 (Alte Pinakothek, Munich) with the inscription: “I, Albrecht Dürer of Nuremberg, painted myself with eternal colors at the age of twenty-eight.” Dürer was clearly accustomed to his image, as his first self-portrait – a silverpoint drawing – dates back to 1484, when he was only 12 years old (although historians titled it Autoritratto all’età di tredici anni, now at the Graphische Sammlung Albertina, Vienna). An age that may seem early for a self-portrait today, but which can be explained by a common attitude of the period: that of the child prodigy.

autoritratto alber
Autoritratto, Albrecht Dürer,

The prodigy theme, cherished in classical antiquity and revived during the Renaissance, became prevalent among artists who often boasted of premature talent in their works and autobiographies, claiming an innate ability rather than learned skill. Michelangelo, for instance, in his later years, declared his disdain for his master Ghirlandaio, claiming to have learned nothing from him.

In contrast to the youthful genius model, il Diletto Giovane, where the disciple offers beauty and the master wisdom, exemplifies mutual recognition. Autoritratto by Raffaello (1506, Uffizi) and l’Autoritratto in uno specchio convesso by Parmigianino (c. 1524, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna) are prime examples. In Raffaello’s work, the famously handsome artist portrays himself with delicate features, shaving off a few years from his real age.

autoritratto raffaello
Autoritratto, Raffaello

Similarly, in Parmigianino’s work, despite being twenty-one, he represents himself as a beardless youth. The curved shape of the panel, affecting the background but not the artist’s face, fascinated contemporaries. The left hand, adorned with rings, symbolizes a platonic offering to the patron, Pope Giulio de’ Medici. Vasari dedicates the longest description in his Viteto this portrait, second only to Monna Lisa by Leonardo.

autoritratto entro uno specchio convesso parmigianino
Autoritratto entro uno specchio convesso, Parmigianino

The fall of the hero: irreverent self-portraits

In stark contrast, anti-heroic, even grotesque self-portraits developed during the same period, maintaining popularity. These portray the subject not at their peak but in old age or spiritual misery. Michelangelo’s self-portrait as a deflated body in the Giudizio Universale of the Cappella Sistina a lifeless skin held by San Bartolomeo, reflects this trend. Michelangelo’s writings reveal the immense effort required to complete the Sistina frescoes, possibly mirroring his physical exhaustion.

giudizio universale michelangelo
Giudizio Universale, Michelangelo

Tiziano Vecellio only began self-portraits in his later years, possibly aging his appearance for allegorical reasons (realism of a body soon to be abandoned by the soul) or practical purposes. Known for his greed, Tiziano’s constant references to impending death in letters to patrons could have been a tactic to prompt quick payments.

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Caricatured irony and self-pity unify many of Michelangelo Merisi, known as Caravaggio’s, self-portraits. Aware of his licentious behavior and unorthodox associations (well depicted in Derek Jarman’s 1986 film Caravaggio), Merisi depicts himself as Bacchino malato with a greenish complexion and provocative demeanor, far removed from his prodigious predecessors.

bacchino malato caravaggio
Bacchino malato, Caravaggio

Alternatively, he appears as a horrified bystander in the Martirio di San Matteo (Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome) or as an indiscreet observer in the Cattura di Cristo (National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin). Finally, he portrays himself as a severed head in Davide con la testa di Golia (Galleria Borghese, Rome), the ultimate chapter of moral and physical degradation (just observe the size and position of the severed head, smaller compared to those of the biblical hero) that the artist inflicts upon himself and his portrait.
The artist who, until a few years earlier, could celebrate himself as a subject worthy of a heroic representation, is definitively demythologized and made human by Caravaggio, even when playing the role of a classical god or giant.
The artist who, until a few years earlier, could celebrate himself as a subject worthy of a heroic representation, is definitively demythologized and made human by Caravaggio, even when playing the role of a classical god or giant.

davide con la testa di golia caravaggio
Davide con la testa di Golia, Caravaggio

By the time of Caravaggio, we moved beyond the Renaissance into an era where the self-portrait became a sought-after and collected genre, evolving into various contemporary forms.
This long, fascinating journey mirrors – once again – the culture and sensitivity of past eras and the status artists achieved over time, showing themselves as they were or aspired to be.

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