"Self-Portrait" with a Plumed Beret

Situated before a plain background, Frans van Mieris painted himself bust-length with a smile on his face, as though surprised at seeing the viewer. Although the painter’s double chin and characteristic moustache and curly hair are recognizable in this small oval panel, the painting was conceived as a tronie, or character study, in which Van Mieris used his own features to create an inventive and perhaps comic image. This kind of “self-portrait” is distinguished from more formal portraits, where Van Mieris presented himself as a true gentleman.

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