Self-Portrait 1825

Curator: Right now, we are looking at a piece titled "Self-Portrait" painted in 1825 by Jan Kamphuijsen. It’s rendered in oil. Editor: My first thought is how quietly arresting it is. He's not staring down at the viewer, but that steady gaze, combined with the austere dress, just gives him such presence. Curator: That quiet confidence definitely permeates the Romantic era. What's interesting is the way Kamphuijsen plays with light. See how the face is illuminated almost theatrically? This contrast emphasizes the texture of his fur cap. Editor: Absolutely, that hat steals the show. Though it frames his face, and it does call my attention to the odd placement of his sideburns. What's going on with them? Curator: They're, let's say, stylistically ambitious. I think they are trying to give him a bit of gravitas. Romanticism really was fond of emotional intensity, and you do get a sense of introspective depth through his slightly furrowed brow. Also, note the materiality: The oil paint creates shadows. Editor: You are spot on about the era because the shadowing also gives the painting that dramatic flair which I find so appealing in Romanticism, and his somber colors intensify that feeling. What’s left unsaid feels almost deafening. I think there is a story in those quiet eyes. Curator: Yes, and perhaps he is pondering the rapidly changing landscape of Europe, and within himself, which Romanticism was so fixated on, after all. A very intense, introspective time of the late 18th century. Editor: And he invites the viewer in this introspective, pensive mood, so you see something of yourself there, as well. What do we take with us after we see it? I think that kind of interaction and self-reflection will follow you, even if only in short order. Curator: It leaves one questioning. As we step away from Kamphuijsen, what he wants from you the most is to contemplate that interaction you two have had. Editor: It really speaks to the power of a self-portrait to go beyond capturing just an image, and becoming almost a looking glass into ourselves, thanks to him.