Selvportrett 1857

Amaldus Nielsen made this self-portrait at an unknown date using oil on canvas. Nielsen lived through a period of significant change in Norway, as the country navigated its identity in relation to both Sweden and its own growing sense of nationalism. Nielsen's self-portrait offers insight into the artist's self-perception within this evolving cultural landscape. Look at the artist's clothing. The dark suit and hat, combined with the pipe, create an image of a serious, perhaps even intellectual, man. During this time, the bourgeois class was solidifying its identity. Nielsen's choice of attire and pose positions him within this class, reflecting his aspirations and the societal values he embraced. This self-portrait invites us to consider how artists use representation to negotiate their place in society and to declare something about who they are.