Self portrait 1791

This is a self-portrait by Joseph Ducreux, who was a painter in the French court during a time of shifting social and political structures. Ducreux's portraits, especially this one, challenge the norms of traditional portraiture. We see him here not in a formal pose, but captured in a moment of raw emotion. He's pulling faces, seemingly caught in a moment of pained introspection. During this period, such expressions were usually reserved for genre painting or theatrical portrayals. There's a fascinating tension in this work. Ducreux was a court painter, yet this self-portrait seems to defy the rigid formality expected of someone in his position. He gives us an alternative narrative, one that embraces vulnerability and invites a more intimate connection between the artist and viewer. In his willingness to display a range of human emotions, Ducreux gives us a glimpse into his humanity. He reminds us that even those in privileged positions experience a wide spectrum of feelings, reflecting a changing sensibility in pre-revolutionary France.