Zelfportret van Jan van Huysum in ovaal op schildersezel 1730

Curator: This is a self-portrait by Jan van Huysum, dating back to around 1730. He rendered it using pencil on paper. What are your immediate thoughts? Editor: Dreamy. It's so delicate. Like looking at a memory. The light touch of the pencil makes the whole thing feel ethereal, almost like a ghost of an image. I like how the frame looks like a part of the canvas itself. Curator: That "frame" is really a painted oval on a canvas, placed on an easel! It shows a few other painting implements, some floral decorations, grapes, a theatre mask and trumpet above the painting. He’s quite literally picturing himself in the act of creation. Think about the politics of portraiture during that period. Presenting oneself as a learned artisan, rather than merely a craftsman, was vital. Editor: Ah, so this is like… 18th century LinkedIn? Showcasing the accomplishments, highlighting the tools of the trade? Still, that casual drape of cloth across his shoulder, the slight smile, I'd almost believe he wasn’t trying so hard. There's a self-awareness here. Or is that just me projecting? Curator: The intention to portray oneself in a respectable manner was part of the artistic and societal expectations of that time. What seems ‘casual’ now might have been a carefully constructed image then. He was, after all, well-known for his meticulous still-life flower paintings; it wouldn’t do to portray himself as anything less than cultured. This piece underscores the public role artists carved for themselves. Editor: That’s what I mean by the ‘self-awareness’…I guess I meant his clear and very deliberate decision of image building that feels ever-relevant today! So, it makes me wonder about the masks, instruments and flowers on display, it all is meant to speak to the wide-ranging skills and intelligence. Curator: Precisely. He’s linking painting with the broader world of artistic and intellectual pursuits. So that is a fine way of saying, he does that for posterity. A man wants to be remembered, no? Editor: Always. Even in a seemingly delicate sketch. The will to create lives far beyond. Thanks for reminding us!