The self as subject is one of the most fascinating and prolific artistic endeavors. From the fifteenth century to the present, this anthology brings together some of the best examples of self-portraits to explore the evolution of the genre across time, as well as our relationship to singularity and self-representation, which has plagued humanity for centuries, long before social networks and selfies.Is an artist's self-portrait a vehicle or a reflection?
Or is it a dark nothingness, this "false mirror" that gives its title to the painting of an eye made by the surrealist René Magritte in 1928? What does it say about the perception of beauty, power and social status in every era? From Albrecht Durer to Egon Schiele, from Fra Filippo Lippi to Frida Kahlo, this collection explores in all its variety the way artists have taken themselves as subjects, the variety of ingenious methods and perspectives they have used, and the fascinating questions they raise.
