Selbstbildnis

About this artwork

Kopie von Inv. Nr. 9153

Art Historical Context

Franz Barwig der Ältere’s *Selbstbildnis* offers a compelling glimpse into the artist’s later creative life. Created after 1927, this self-portrait belongs to the final phase of Barwig’s career, a period when the Austrian sculptor and draughtsman continued to explore personal expression through intimate works on paper. The piece now preserved in the Belvedere Collection is a photographic copy of an original drawing (Inv. No. 9153), measuring 52.8 × 37 cm with its edges folded, underscoring the museum’s efforts to safeguard fragile artworks while making them accessible to visitors. As a self-portrait, the work invites reflection on the artist’s identity and legacy within early twentieth-century Austrian art. Barwig, known for his sensitive handling of form and material, here turns the gaze inward, capturing a moment of introspection near the end of his life. The classification as a drawing highlights the direct, personal nature of the medium, even in reproduction. Housed in Vienna’s Belvedere, this photographic copy serves both as a document of the original and as a testament to the museum’s role in preserving Austria’s artistic heritage for future generations.