This is something I was very interested in but had trouble downloading the images from the Bridgewater library and so this is just my observation of certain artists until i can work out the technology.
First, I noticed that some artists concentrated on looking intently at themselves and others made more of the composition, situations and general appearance of the painting ( or drawing)
Van Gogh did many of himself, both full face and using the surroundings to create the image. There seemed to be a real questioning of who he was.
Edvard Munch's self portrait with the bone of an arm at the bottom was really fascinating as it seemed to echo the bleakness and depression of his life. His full frontal image of his inscrutable face really conveyed to me the feeling disconnection with the world.
Andy Warhol was interesting to me in that there seemed to me to be no indication of who he really was. " "People are always calling me a mirror and if a mirror looks into a mirror, what is there to see?" This quote of his seems to be a clue as to his inscrutability. His self portraits are worthy of far more time and writing than I have.
Gaugin's self portraits were much more complete paintings in his surroundings, colour, composition and a feel for the period he was in. Again, far more could be written but time eludes me.
Lucien Freud was looking so intently at himself and my feeling was that he was looking into his soul through painting himself.
To be continued.......
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