Self-Portrait
Anthony van Dyck, ca. 1620–21
About this artwork
Anthony van Dyck's *Self-Portrait* (ca. 1620–21) captures the young Flemish master at the dawn of his brilliant career. Born in Antwerp in 1599, van Dyck was already a prodigy by his early twenties, having trained under Peter Paul Rubens, the era's preeminent painter. This oil on canvas, measuring 47 1/8 x 34 5/8 inches, hails from his formative years in Antwerp, a vibrant hub of Flemish Baroque art where religious and portrait painting flourished amid the Dutch Revolt and Catholic Counter-Reformation. The medium of oil on canvas was revolutionary for its time, enabling van Dyck's luminous glazes, rich impasto, and dramatic lighting—hallmarks of Flemish technique. Self-portraits like this served as bold advertisements of an artist's skill, blending psychological introspection with elegant pose to appeal to wealthy patrons. It reflects workshop practices, iconographic conventions, and the era's emphasis on individualism amid social display. Now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jules Bache Collection, this work bridges past and present, offering insights into 17th-century values of beauty, technical mastery, and cultural exchange. Visitors today can admire how van Dyck's vision transcended his context, influencing portraiture for centuries.