Self Portrait in his Atelier 1884

Claude Monet’s self-portrait, likely painted in his studio, shows the artist with a beret and a focused gaze. The beret, often associated with artistic identity since the Renaissance, signifies not just a profession, but also the intellectual and creative spirit of the wearer. Consider how Rembrandt and other masters depicted themselves similarly. This self-fashioning connects Monet to a lineage of artists who consciously constructed their public image. But Monet doesn't strike a pose of traditional artistic grandeur here. Instead, the raw, unfinished quality of the painting and the almost defiant stance evoke a sense of artistic struggle. We can see a man wrestling with his vision, a battle played out on the canvas with each stroke. The smoke may symbolize the fire of inspiration, burning intensely yet also fleeting and ephemeral. The act of smoking, too, can be seen as a gesture of contemplation, a moment of pause that is filled with creative potential. It reminds us that art-making is not just about skill but also about deep engagement with the world and one's inner self. The beret, now a symbol of artistic identity, undergoes continuous interpretation throughout history.