For centuries art has been a medium for immortalizing ones self. The rulers or the rich could have their greatness displayed for all to see, as well as standing the test of time, allowing their legacy to live on. From the Ancient Egyptians to modern Impressionism, how people wanted to represent themselves changed over the years. Many portraits exaggerated the looks of their subject and radiated power, while others were simply capturing an image.
Granodiorite seated statue of Amenhotep III, From the collection of: British Museum
This egyptian statue portrays Amenhotep III as a perfect being, a ruler worthy of divinity.
Portrait of a Man in a Red Turban (selfportrait), Jan Van Eyck, 1433/1433, From the collection of: Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
Coming from 1433, it is thought to be the earliest known panel self-portrait.
The adolescent Bacchus, Caravaggio Merisi, 1595 - 1597, From the collection of: Uffizi Gallery
Baroque era portrait of the god Bacchus represented in the form of a young man. Moving from portraying humans as gods, to lowering the gods into human form.
Portrait of a Man in a Broad-Brimmed Hat, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1635, From the collection of: Kawamura Memorial DIC Museum of Art
Self-Portrait, Vincent van Gogh, 1889, From the collection of: National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
Impressionist self portrait of Van Gogh shows more of a humble connection to the world by not attempting to become or destroy a deity. Instead the portrait is trying to capture the moment.
Credits: All media
This user gallery has been created by an independent third party and may not represent the views of the institutions whose collections include the featured works or of Google Arts & Culture.
