Self-Portrait, Behind a Parapet
Artist: Ferdinand Bol (Dutch, 1616-1689)
Date: 1648
Medium: Oil on canvas
Collection: The Leiden Collection, New York City, NY, United States
Description
Seated behind a parapet, his right arm resting with assured elegance on a richly patterned pillow, Ferdinand Bol commands the gaze of the viewer in this refined and fanciful self-portrait.
Bol portrayed himself in the foreground of the picture plane in a three-quarter-length pose, wearing a deep red and gold-trimmed velvet cloak, thick gold chains and medallion, and a black beret topped with a long arched feather. He exudes confidence and grace, and a bit of youthful arrogance.
Bol’s signature and the date of 1648 can be read on the paper he holds gingerly near the edge of the parapet. Against the muted brown background, strong contrasts of light and dark model his dignified form and reveal the varied textures of the fabric, particularly the sheen of the gold thread on his red cloak. His face is distinguished by a small moustache and goatee, while the brown curls of his hair reach his shoulders.