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Self-Portrait

A work made of oil on canvas.

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  • A work made of oil on canvas.

Date:

1898–1906

Artist:

Frederick W. MacMonnies (American, 1863–1937)

About this artwork

Around 1898 Frederick W. MacMonnies suddenly abandoned his successful career as a sculptor to take up painting, but a lack of commercial success ultimately forced him to quit the medium in about 1906. At least nine self-portraits from this period are known. While in several of these MacMonnies holds a palette and brush, here he does not identify as an artist. Rather he portrayed himself as a gentleman of leisure, dressed and ready to attend a casual gathering. Part of a group of expatriate American artists living and working in Paris and Giverny, MacMonnies drew inspiration from the Old Masters, especially in the lighting and modeling of the figure, and from the Impressionists, whose loose brushwork and high-keyed colors likewise inform the composition.

Status

On View, Gallery 177

Department

Arts of the Americas

Artist

Frederick William MacMonnies

Title

Self-Portrait

Place

United States (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

c. 1898–1906

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

54.6 × 45.7 cm (21 1/2 × 18 in.)

Credit Line

Purchased with funds provided by Mrs. Harold T. Martin

Reference Number

1980.202

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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