Self-Portrait 1890

This 1890 self-portrait by French artist Henri-Charles Guérard (1846-1897) depicts the artist seated at a table, working intently on a drawing. The artist is captured in a moment of intense concentration, his face illuminated by a window behind him. The drawing's dark tones and detailed rendering create a sense of intimacy and realism, characteristic of Guérard's style. The tools and materials surrounding the artist reveal his profession and the tools of his trade: a magnifying glass, inkwell, and a drawing board. This artwork, now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, offers a glimpse into the creative process of a 19th-century artist.