Self Portrait

Self portraits are generally very straight forward and are just a portrait of oneself. However, many artists use the self portrait more creatively.  Many artists paint themselves because that is who the know best or feel most connected to.  I believe the self can also be used to convey deeper feelings and emotions due to the connection with the subject matter.

 One artist who painted many self portraits was Vincent Van Gogh. Van Gogh used the self portrait to mock himself and particular times in his life. He wanted the paintings  to be more about emotion and color rather than looking like a photograph. 


 Another artist known for their self portrait is Egon Schiele.  Schiele's portraits showed insights to the human condition. His self portraits show self searching. 



Lastly, The artist Cindy Sherman. Sherman is a photographer whos self portraits remain untitled and up to the viewers interpretation. She says,  “I feel I’m anonymous in my work. When I look at the pictures, I never see myself; they aren’t self-portraits. Sometimes I disappear.”