Self-Portrait as a Bagpipe Player 1644

This is Jacob Jordaens’ “Self-Portrait as a Bagpipe Player,” made sometime in the 17th century using oil on canvas. Jordaens was a leading Flemish Baroque painter, and lived in a society deeply shaped by the politics of the Counter-Reformation. Here, Jordaens depicts himself not in the guise of a nobleman or scholar, but as a musician, puffing out his cheeks as he plays. The bagpipe, often associated with folk music and celebrations, situates him within a more common, less elevated social sphere. Notice how Jordaens does not shy away from portraying himself with a certain earthiness; his face is flushed, and his expression is intense. The self-portrait challenges the traditional hierarchies of portraiture, suggesting an exploration of identity beyond the confines of social status. This is Jordaens presenting himself, warts and all, in a moment of musical expression. He seems to ask: can one’s identity be as much about participation in everyday cultural life as it is about one’s place in the social order?