Self-portrait 

Domingos Sequeira painted this self-portrait with oil on canvas sometime in his lifetime, before 1837. The materiality of oil paint lends itself to smooth gradients, and luminous, lifelike rendering of the skin, and clothing. Sequeira's technique is masterful; he captures the very image of success, the fine quality of his sitter's clothes, the instruments of his trade, and the crisp light on his face. But consider what isn't seen: the labor involved in preparing the canvas, grinding and mixing the pigments, and the sheer skill required to create such an image. The painting is a product of a highly developed system of art production, from the sourcing of materials to the training of the artist. While this portrait fits squarely within the tradition of fine art, its value lies not only in its aesthetic qualities but also in its demonstration of craft, labor, and the social status afforded to those who mastered it.