Self-portrait 1517

This is Mabuse's self-portrait, painted some time in the early 16th century. It presents us with the image of a confident artist at a time when that status was not assured. Mabuse shows himself fashionably dressed, almost foppish. Look at the care he’s taken to render his clothing and pose. His raised hand suggests both intellectual curiosity and the moment of artistic creation. What’s interesting is that, at this time, the institutions of art were still tied to craft guilds. Artists weren’t always seen as intellectuals or members of the upper classes. Mabuse is presenting himself as an exception. To understand this painting more fully, it would be useful to look at guild records from Antwerp, where Mabuse worked. These documents could tell us much more about the social status of artists in the region. In the end, studying art history means understanding the social conditions that make art possible.