Maler mit Zipfelmütze, vom Rücken gesehen, vor der Staffelei sitzend 

Gottlieb Welté, born in 1745, created this intimate pencil drawing which is titled "Maler mit Zipfelmütze, vom Rücken gesehen, vor der Staffelei sitzend," which translates to "Painter with a Pointed Cap, Seen from the Back, Sitting in Front of the Easel." Painted during an era where artists began to challenge the rigid social norms of the Rococo period, Welté offers us a rare glimpse into the artist’s personal sphere. There’s a sense of quiet introspection here, a deliberate turn away from the grandiose, towards the individual experience. Consider the pointed cap; it is both practical and a subtle assertion of identity. It suggests a level of comfort and perhaps even a rejection of the formal expectations of the time. Welté’s choice to depict himself from behind invites us to consider the act of creation itself. What does it mean to observe an artist in their most private, reflective state? This work isn’t just a self-portrait; it’s an invitation to contemplate the very essence of artistic identity.