Self-portrait 1850

This self-portrait etching by Jules-Elie Delaunay, created in 1850, is a powerful example of realism in portraiture. The artist's close-up depiction of his own face, with its detailed wrinkles and lines, reveals a sense of introspection and vulnerability. Delaunay was a prominent French artist known for his meticulous renderings of both figures and landscapes. This intimate etching, now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, offers a glimpse into the artist's inner world and his mastery of the etching technique.