Self-Portrait in Arab Dress 

Maurycy Gottlieb painted this self-portrait in oil paints, a traditional medium associated with fine art. He has captured himself wearing Arab dress, complete with a turban and a decorative dagger, and it is the materiality of these painted textiles that I find particularly compelling. Gottlieb’s skilled brushwork animates the patterns and textures of his costume, transforming the fabric into a rich tapestry of colours and forms. The artist's hand is evident in every brushstroke. The medium has been manipulated to conjure the weight, drape and feel of each surface: from the sheen of the dagger, to the soft cotton of his tunic, and the deep folds of his patterned robe. The production of these fabrics would have been reliant on global trade routes and complex weaving traditions, and Gottlieb references this through his painterly virtuosity. By drawing attention to the materials and the labour involved, the artist blurs the boundaries between portraiture, costume, and the wider world of cultural exchange.