Self Portrait at An Easel 

This is Gerrit Dou’s self-portrait, painted with oils on wood panel in the Dutch Golden Age. The painting depicts the artist in his studio, surrounded by the tools and trappings of his trade. Dou was renowned for his meticulous technique, building up layers of paint to create a smooth, enamel-like surface. Look closely, and you’ll see the sheer amount of work that went into rendering each object with such precision: the gleam of metal, the texture of the book’s pages, and the soft folds of the fabric. Dou was one of the most successful artists of his time, and paintings like this were made for the art market, to appeal to wealthy collectors. The array of objects here speak to the culture of consumption that was emerging at the time. In this context, the artist’s labor is a key part of the painting’s subject. By showing us the means of production, Dou elevates the status of the artist as a skilled artisan.