Portræt af en maler. (Selvportræt) 1749 - 1790

Erik Pauelsen’s self-portrait is rendered in delicate lines of graphite on paper. The artist’s gaze drifts slightly off to the left, his features soft. The sketch presents the artist with a shallow depth of field. The face and the hair that frames it are the most defined aspects of the composition. The artist’s contemplative mood and confident posture have a formal function in the overall composition. The work achieves an artistic interpretation of self-awareness. Here, self-representation serves as a commentary on the role of the artist in society. The semiotic codes of the gaze, combined with the tools of the trade—palette and brushes—create a discourse around the construction of identity through art. Ultimately, the sketch destabilizes the boundary between the artist's persona and his professional identity. It invites ongoing interpretation.