Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen died in 1844; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1914.
In context
Self Portrait — Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 74 at death.
Painted when the artist was 40. The artist lived to 74. 5 of the 16 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.
Shaded: the lifetime of Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770–1844) ▲ this work, 1810 every dated painting, decade by decade
First works: up to 1806 Main working years: 1806–1818 Late works: from 1818
Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them
Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.
More works to set beside this one: originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/albert-bertel-thorvaldsen-self-portrait-D49KK9-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
Espresso #383529
Catalogued palette
These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour
The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 99.9% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 34 works by this artist, of which 13 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
Artist and museum
Born in Copenhagen, Denmark
Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770-1844) was a Danish and Icelandic sculptor of international renown, whose work embodies the ideals of Neoclassical art. His life story is one of remarkable talent, dedicated study, and widespread acclaim.
Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, to a working-class family with Icelandic roots, Thorvaldsen displayed artistic promise from a young age. He was accepted into the Royal Danish Academy of Art at just eleven years old. His exceptional skill earned him a stipend to travel to Rome in 1797 – a crucial step that would define his career.
Rome proved to be the ideal environment for Thorvaldsen’s artistic development. He immersed himself in the study of classical antiquity, meticulously copying ancient sculptures and absorbing their principles of form and proportion. This dedication led him to develop a distinctly Neoclassical style characterized by purity of line, idealized forms, and a sense of serene grandeur.
Thorvaldsen was profoundly influenced by the works of ancient Greek and Roman sculptors, as well as by contemporary artists like Antonio Canova. However, he gradually moved away from Canova’s more flamboyant style towards a greater emphasis on simplicity and restraint. He sought to capture not just physical beauty but also moral virtue in his figures.
Religious Sculpture: Thorvaldsen created numerous religious works, including the tomb monument of Pope Pius VII – the only work by a non-Catholic artist within St. Peter’s Basilica.
Mythological Subjects: His sculptures depicting mythological figures like Ganymede and the Eagle, Hebe, and Apollo are celebrated for their grace and classical beauty.
Public Monuments: He received commissions for public monuments across Europe, including statues of Nicolaus Copernicus and Józef Poniatowski in Warsaw, and Maximilian I in Munich.
In 1838, Thorvaldsen returned to Denmark as a national hero. The Danish government erected the Thorvaldsen Museum in Copenhagen to house his works, a testament to his immense popularity and artistic significance. He died in 1844 and is buried within the courtyard of the museum.
Bertel Thorvaldsen played a pivotal role in shaping the Neoclassical movement. His sculptures were widely admired and imitated, influencing generations of artists. He successfully revived classical ideals in sculpture, creating works that continue to inspire awe and admiration today. His ability to blend technical skill with artistic vision cemented his place as one of the most important sculptors of the 19th century.
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Look closely
Self Portrait — Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen
Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.
Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.
"Self Portrait" by Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen has a tall format. The format describes the proportions of the composition.
To preview a reproduction of "Self Portrait" by Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen, open the artwork's Preview page.
"Self Portrait" by Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen is recorded as shadow, with a soft shadow luminance.