Dutch painter Judith Leyster’s seventeenth-century self-portrait tells us a lot about who she was and how she wanted to be seen. In this video, we explore the art of self-portraiture, looking at how early modern artists used this genre to help raise their social status and advertise their skills. As a woman painting in a male-dominated profession, Judith Leyster used her self-portrait to celebrate her unique status and skill.

Speaker: Dr. Heather Graham

CHAPTERS

0:42 What is a self-portrait?

0:58 What do self-portraits do?

1:15 Portraits and social identity

1:28 Raphael’s portrait of Agnolo Doni

1:55 Self-portraits and the social status of artists

2:27 Art making as an art of the mind

2:50 A woman in a man’s business

3:22 Showcasing artistic ability

Check out our entire glossary of art history: https://www.artsq.org/about-key-terms-ideas-art-history