Self Portraiture in Art
A study in self-portraiture can be a great way to begin the school year.
By Daniella Garran
Self-portraiture is an important artistic expression. Not only can one learn about the artist, but one can also infer a great deal about the time and place in which the work was created. An excellent introduction to the practice of self-portraiture can be found at the National Gallery of Art website. Some of the most prolific self-portrait artists include Vincent Van Gogh, Frieda Kahlo, Andy Warhol, Rembrandt, and Pablo Picasso. Each of these artists represents a different era and culture and their work can be integrated into a broad historical analysis.
You can give students an assignment to create a self-portrait in one medium in September and another one in a different medium in June. You can consider having them write an artist’s statement as well. They can compare and contrast the two portraits to see how students have changed during the school year. A related activity could be to have students analyze a specific artist’s self-portraiture over the course of his or her career to observe changes in style, influences, symbols, etc . . .
Students may research, either individually or in small groups, the self-portraits of a number of different artists. Once the research is complete, students can present their findings to the rest of the class. An especially engaging way to do this is to have students dress up as the artist in one of his or her self-portraits and then give a report “in character." What follows are more ideas for self-portrait lessons and activities.
Self Portrait Lesson Plans:
This lesson can help students to understand the “language” of portraiture in art. They discuss social class and identity by analyzing signs and symbols included in the portraits that they look at. Students have the opportunity to create their own self-portrait complete with symbols.
Students study Rembrandt and his self-portraits. Students investigate the various roles that the artist played in his self-portraiture. Students are given the chance to create self-portraits of themselves playing a specific role (e.g.: athlete, scholar, daughter, etc . . . ).
Based on the PBS series "Art:21," students explore the self-portrait in a variety of artistic media. While the finished product of this lesson will be a drawn self-portrait, students examine the use of abstract and realistic elements and how they affect the viewer’s interpretation of the image.