Self-portrait in a velvet cap with plume 1805 - 1844

Ignace-Joseph de Claussin created this self-portrait in printmaking, sometime in the first half of the 19th century. Claussin lived during a time of significant social and political change in Europe, influenced by the Enlightenment and the rise of Romanticism. In the print, Claussin presents himself in a velvet cap with plume, reminiscent of the attire worn by artists from the Dutch Golden Age, particularly Rembrandt. This self-fashioned image evokes questions about identity, as Claussin positions himself in relation to artistic traditions and notions of selfhood. The choice of clothing and the act of self-representation speak to the artist’s desire to align himself with a specific lineage of artistic expression. The use of traditional techniques in a rapidly changing art world highlights the tension between honoring the past and forging a new path. What does it mean to claim an identity through the lens of history?