Exhibition 'Dutch Self-Portraits - Selfies of the Golden Age' in Mauritshuis
the Mauritshuis exhibits twenty-seven outstanding examples of self-portraits from the peak of Dutch painting, in the exhibition Dutch Self-Portraits - Selfies of the Golden Age.
Many seventeenth-century Dutch artists have painted self-portraits, more so than in any other time or place. Some of these painters were specialists in the area, others created only one extant self-portrait. The variation amongst the works was considerable, but palette and paintbrushes were the most common attributes.
The large number of self-portraits created can be linked to the increase in painting production at the time. The competition was fierce, so painters needed to generate a prominent position in the market. The self-portrait lent the artist and his or her work a 'face'. The self-portrait was, therefore, not only a portrait of the painter, but often also a statement about his or her work.
