Zelfportret 1740 - 1792

This is Aert Schouman's self-portrait, made with etching in the Netherlands sometime in the 18th century. Schouman frames himself with an oval wreath and drapery, signifiers of status within the artistic academies of his time. Note how Schouman has included his tools of trade, brushes and a palette, in the bottom of the portrait. This was a device employed by artists as a way to elevate themselves from mere craftsman to practitioners of the liberal arts. In doing so, Schouman is actively participating in the institutional structures of the art world as it existed in the Netherlands. He seems to suggest that an artist's identity is shaped by the social conventions of the time. To better understand Schouman's place in the history of art, we might consult period exhibition catalogues and archival records of the art academies that promoted certain artists while excluding others. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.