Portrait of the Artist as the Painter Raphael 1921

Wyndham Lewis painted this self-portrait, entitled ‘Portrait of the Artist as the Painter Raphael’, in the early 1920s. Lewis’s allusion to the High Renaissance master Raphael gestures towards his ambition and the complexity of his artistic identity. The clean lines and geometric forms, common in Vorticist paintings, highlight Lewis's modernist perspective. The reference to Raphael perhaps ironically juxtaposes classical ideals with the fragmented realities of the modern world. Lewis seems to set himself apart from traditional art, reflecting the avant-garde movements that sought to break away from the past, while simultaneously positioning himself within the historical lineage of great artists. Consider the context of post-World War I disillusionment, and the desire to forge new identities. This work reflects a broader cultural negotiation between tradition and innovation, as Lewis confronts his place in art history. The portrait offers not just a visual representation, but a statement of artistic intent.