Self-portrait 1870

Alfred Dehodencq painted this self-portrait in France at some point during his career as an Orientalist painter. Dehodencq represents himself as a serious, dignified figure. His clothing is dark and understated, in line with the conventions of bourgeois portraiture. Yet his red scarf adds a touch of color, indicating a certain individuality, while his beret references the stereotypical garb of the bohemian artist. Dehodencq’s career was shaped by the French Academy, which promoted certain kinds of painting as being more worthy than others. The hierarchy of genres placed history painting at the top and portraits lower down. Orientalism, with its supposed documentary value, was also taken more seriously than portraiture. By painting this self-portrait, Dehodencq was making a statement about the value of the artist as an individual, rather than as a mere craftsman. Historians can study the archives of the French Academy to learn more about the social institutions that shaped Dehodencq’s career.