Self-portrait 1915

This is Franz von Stuck's self-portrait, painted in 1915. Von Stuck was a towering figure in the art world of Munich during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This portrait offers a glimpse into the artist's self-fashioning. We see the gaze of a man who is very aware of his status and role. His formal attire, complete with a bow tie and what appears to be a fur coat, speaks to bourgeois status. The portrait provides a personal, emotional lens through which to view the artist, while simultaneously engaging with themes of power, respectability, and artistic identity. It also invites us to reflect on how artists choose to present themselves and the complex interplay between self-perception and public image. Von Stuck leaves us to question what is being revealed and what is being concealed in this constructed self-image.