Zelfportret van Jurriaan Andriessen 1799

This self-portrait was made by Jurriaan Andriessen, a Dutch artist, using pen and brush in watercolor, somewhere around the late 18th or early 19th century. The artwork uses traditional materials and techniques. The layered effect of watercolor gives the portrait a soft, almost dreamlike quality. You can almost feel the artist's gaze, steady and self-assured, as he depicts himself at work. Andriessen clearly wanted to present himself as a cultivated man of his time, and that meant showing himself at work – engaged in the act of creation. Note the painting on the easel, rendered with the same care as his own face. The scene is bathed in a warm light, suggesting an idealized vision of the artist at work. This portrait speaks to the changing status of artists in the 18th century, as they sought to elevate themselves from mere artisans to intellectuals, mirroring the values of their time. It reminds us that art is always tied to the social and cultural context in which it's made.