Self Portrait

	Artist: John Maclaren Barclay
	Title: Self Portrait
	Year: c. 1850
	Medium: oil on canvas
	Dimensions:
	Suggested topic: Portraiture
	Source: RSA
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Description: John Maclaren Barclay was a successful portrait painter in the 19th century with businesses in his home town of Perth and also in Edinburgh.A portrait painting of this time would have been a very expensive investment, available only to the most wealthy or honoured of citizens. This self-portrait is typical of the type of painting Barclay did for a living; but it is also very self-indulgent. The gold damask curtain glistens almost like a halo. Barclay has chosen a very limited palette for this self-portrait. The golden yellow light suggests subtle gaslight, which adds warmth to all colours. The brushstrokes are fine and reveal intimate detail in areas where the light reflects the surface. This throws his outline into sharp relief and creates a dramatic statement. The lighting illuminates his face, but his wide-brimmed hat casts shadows over his eyes. This effectively disguises the artist's spectacles and adds a sense of mystery to the figure. Much of the painting lies in deep shadow, the very darkness of which draws the viewer's eye back to the bright and delicately detailed face and curtain.The composition focuses on the head and torso of the figure whereas a full-length portrait would have drawn attention away from the face and included unimportant details. However, if Barclay had cropped his painting too close to the face, it might have detracted from the mysterious and dramatic image he has created.This picture would have been a status symbol with great power. Was the artist seeking to immortalise himself in the same way as he did his rich and famous clients? Or is this painting a personal study of self-exploration? When you make a self-portrait what is more important to you? Making yourself look good or finding out something about yourself as you draw or paint?