Self-Portrait in a Casquette 1872

Paul Cézanne painted this self-portrait in oil on canvas. The artist’s sturdy, unidealized face and the humble casquette—or cap—he wears are potent symbols of his identity. This headgear, a hallmark of the working class, tells us much about Cézanne's self-perception. Far from the aristocratic wigs and hats of previous centuries' portraits, this cap is a deliberate statement, a signifier of modernity, and a commitment to portraying the self without pretense. We see echoes of this motif in later self-portraits by artists such as Courbet, who also embraced everyday attire to reflect the changing social and political landscape. The choice to depict himself in such a manner underscores the psychological shift towards an embrace of the ordinary. It is as if the artist seeks to ground himself in the tangible world, shunning the elaborate constructs of societal expectations. The cap, then, is not merely an article of clothing but a banner of artistic and personal authenticity.