Self-Portrait 1840

Ippolito Caffi painted this self-portrait, and like most portraits from the 19th Century, it would have been made using oil paint on canvas. Let's consider the time and labor involved in this painting. Caffi would have begun by preparing his canvas, stretching it tightly over a wooden frame. Next, he would have carefully applied layers of paint, building up form and volume with subtle gradations of light and shadow. The density of the oil paint allows for smooth textures, and its slow drying time gives the artist the flexibility to blend colors seamlessly. Oil paint had become the dominant medium for painting, because it afforded a remarkable illusion of reality, useful in the creation of portraits for wealthy patrons, or in this case, perhaps, for self-promotion. But it is easy to forget all the skill and time involved in producing such a realistic likeness. Caffi's self-portrait is not just an image, it is the result of hours of painstaking work.