Who Is Goya's Autorretrato En El Barrier?

In the piece “Autorretrato en el taller (Self-portrait in the Studio)” by Francisco de Goya, the artist depicts himself in a Romantic style of painting. The lighting is hazing and alludes to being naturally lit, due to it coming in from the window. It continues to call attention to the illusion of painting by the brush strokes being visible on the canvas. This incites the idea of self awareness of the artist and understanding that a painting is not a reflection of real life but an artifice. The concept is continued by the character on the canvas looking at the viewer as opposed to the canvas he is painting upon. The canvas is the same size of the character, which continues the connection between art and artist. The colors on the wooden palette …show more content…
There is continued speculation around the meaning of the quote above Rembrandt’s head, especially when paired with the thistle he is holding in his hand. The discussion around the portrait resulted in the view that the painting was intended to be presented to his fiancée but “According to this interpretation, 'Darer offers the viewer - presumably Agnes herself - a sprig of eryngium, traditionally considered an aphrodisiac and associated with success in love, and concedes in the inscription that "my affairs will go as it stands above"'. When the focus is shifted away from Agnes as being presented the thistle but instead it being a gift to the general viewing audience, an interpretation of the artist can be developed. The thistle as a gift of love and fidelity to the viewer suggest the idea that the painter is devoted to his craft. The devotion is displayed through the classic styling of the portraiture and the attention to detail that creates a naturalistic image. The portrait is against a dark background where the focus is solely on the character, which is consistent with the composition of other