Self Portrait, Myself at 66, is an oil on canvas, painted by Mathias J. Alten at his home studio in Grand Rapids, Michigan. and is most likely his final self-portrait. It currently resides in the George and Barbara Gordon Gallery at Grand Valley State University as a part of a collection titled ‘Mathias J. Alten: An American Impressionist’. Alten painted himself as a gray-haired man with a white shirt and gray pants, holding a palette and paintbrushes. It is evident in this work that Alten has painted this image as a reflection of himself in a mirror, because although right-handed, his portrait presents him as left-handed. In this work, Mathias J. Alten is intended to be the main subject, however, his use of texture, color, and line draw one's focus instead to the blank space where his canvas should exist.
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Although the title of the work puts Alten’s age at 66, he has painted himself without any visible wrinkles. His skin is smooth, and his hair is luscious and full, both of which suggest he is a much younger age. The only noticeable crease in his otherwise flawless skin is between his slightly furrowed eyebrows, which gives Alten an air of deep concentration and wisdom. He stands painting in a crisp white button-down shirt and tie, with a cigar casually hanging from his lips. His eyes staring slightly upwards above the rim of his glasses, which creates the illusion that they are staring intently at the viewer as if asking, “What are you looking at?” The overall style with which Alten paints himself expresses that he feels strongly about his physical appearance and his abilities as an
Although the title of the work puts Alten’s age at 66, he has painted himself without any visible wrinkles. His skin is smooth, and his hair is luscious and full, both of which suggest he is a much younger age. The only noticeable crease in his otherwise flawless skin is between his slightly furrowed eyebrows, which gives Alten an air of deep concentration and wisdom. He stands painting in a crisp white button-down shirt and tie, with a cigar casually hanging from his lips. His eyes staring slightly upwards above the rim of his glasses, which creates the illusion that they are staring intently at the viewer as if asking, “What are you looking at?” The overall style with which Alten paints himself expresses that he feels strongly about his physical appearance and his abilities as an