Self-Portrait

probably 1907/1909

Gwen John

Associated Names
Gwen John

Artist, British, 1876 - 1939

The image is a pencil sketch of a person. The person's upper half is depicted, showing the head and upper torso. They are facing slightly to the right with a direct gaze. The facial features are softly drawn, with delicate eyes and a neutral expression. The person has long hair styled with a portion wrapped on top of the head. The clothing is simple, indicating a blouse or dress with a button or pin on top. The background is undefined, keeping the focus on the person. The artist's signature "Gwen John" is in the lower right corner.

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.
Not on view See artworks now on view

Artwork overview

More About this Artwork

In this black and white photograph, a woman wearing a black dress leans toward an arched mirror set into a wall, so we see the woman twice in this double portrait. We are situated slightly below her so we look up at the woman, who gazes down and to our right. The surface of the wall is smooth but lightly textured, like adobe. Trees reflected in the mirror indicate that this is outdoors. The woman in front of us takes up the left half of the composition. She faces our right in profile and leans to our right, at the far edge of the mirror. Her dark hair is pulled up in ribbon entwined braids. She wears long, chandelier style earrings and her high-necked black dress has puffed, lace sleeves. We see her face straight on in the mirror’s reflection. The woman’s distinctive brows knit together over her rounded nose.

Article:  15 LGBTQ+ Artists to Know

Discover the lives of 15 LGBTQ+ artists and their art, much of which you can see at the National Gallery.

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(Roy and Cecily Langdale Davis); acquired 1991 by NGA.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1992

  • Dürer to Diebenkorn: Recent Acquisitions of Art of Paper, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1992, no. 64.

1998

  • In Her Voice: Self-Portraits by Women, Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art, Ursinus College, Collegeville, 1998-1999.

Bibliography

1976

  • d'Offay, Anthony. Gwen John, London: 1976, 21.

1991

  • Davis & Langdale, Gwen John, NY: 2/26-3/23/91, 3.

Inscriptions

lower right stamped: Gwen John (estate stamp); by later hand, lower left in graphite: E.J. 515 (estate number)

Wikidata ID

Q64572816

You may be interested in

Loading Results