Self-Portrait 1852

Alexandre Antigna painted this self-portrait in oil on canvas, sometime during his career in 19th-century France. Oil paint offers a rich, tactile quality. The artist has worked the surface to create a sense of depth and texture. It’s clear Antigna was interested in the inherent qualities of his chosen medium. Oil paints allowed him to build up layers, creating the soft gradations of light and shadow that give the face its volume, and that texture in the background. The very act of creating a self-portrait also has social and cultural significance. As an artist, Antigna was engaging with a long tradition of self-representation. He’s placing himself within a lineage of creative practitioners who have used the same tools and techniques. This form of artistic expression was intertwined with the social and economic conditions of the time, and the labor and skill involved in its production. When we look at art through the lens of materials, making, and context, we can better appreciate its full meaning, and challenge conventional distinctions between fine art and craft.