Self-Portrait

Nicolas de Largillierre

National Gallery of Art

The image shows a portrait of a man visible from the waist up, seated in a red cushioned chair, his body turned to the left and his face turned to us. His facial features include pale skin, dark eyebrows, slightly sagging cheeks, and pink lips in a neutral expression. His hair seems to be shaved, and his head is mostly covered by a white, striped head covering that resembles a beret. He wears a reddish-brown coat with white ruffled sleeves, and underneath a white collared garment and a light pink ribbon peek out. In his hands, the man holds drawing instruments, including a pencil or pen and a stack of papers. Behind him on the left are several small tan and white sculptures, including a nude male figure, a cherub, and a woman's head. Beside these sculptures are several paint brushes and a flat surface that could be a painter's palette. The walls behind him are gray.