Paper

Student Artwork Guide

Self-Portrait

Eugène Anatole Carrière, 1893

Name Class Date
Eugène Anatole Carrière, Self-Portrait (1893). Public domain. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist
Eugène Anatole Carrière originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/eugene-anatole-carriere/
Artist’s dates
1849 – 1906
Painted
1893
Medium
Oil On Canvas
Original size
41 x 33 cm
Movement
Symbolism Pictures where objects stand for ideas — a flower or a door meaning something beyond itself.
Period
19th Century

Copyright This work is in the public domain. Eugène Anatole Carrière died in 1906; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1976.

Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Oct. 6, 2026

Self-Portrait — Eugène Anatole Carrière Part 1 · The artwork

In context

Self-Portrait — Eugène Anatole Carrière

How big is it?

The original measures 41 × 33 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.

When was this painted?

  1. 1840
  2. 1850
  3. 1860
  4. 1870
  5. 1880
  6. 1890
  7. 1900

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 57 at death.

Painted when the artist was 44. The artist lived to 57. 9 of the 20 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.

Shaded: the lifetime of Eugène Anatole Carrière (1849–1906) ▲ this work, 1893 every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1888 Main working years: 1888–1900 Late works: from 1900

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

Compare with

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/eugene-anatole-carriere-self-portrait-D3HVCG-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Walnut #634824

    Catalogued palette

    • #634824
    • #060505
    • #876B4A
    • #4C371C

    These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

    Palette
    Earthy The dominant colour family in the image.
    Main colour name
    Walnut
    Intensity
    Balanced How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Serene How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Unified Palette How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Deep_shadow How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
    Saturation
    Balanced Soft How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

    Where in the world is this painting looked at?

    • under 1%
    • 1–3%
    • 3–8%
    • 8–20%
    • 20% and over
    This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by Eugène Anatole Carrière over the last twelve months — 7 countries in all. Where these figures come from

    The ten leading countries

    1. 1 China 72.5%
    2. 2 Singapore 10.0%
    3. 3 Germany 7.5%
    4. 4 Denmark 2.5%
    5. 5 France 2.5%
    6. 6 United Kingdom 2.5%
    7. 7 United States of America 2.5%

    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.

    The 20 most looked-at works by Eugène Anatole Carrière

    1. 1 Louis Henri Devillez dans son atelier 6.2%
    2. 2 Paysage 6.2%
    3. 3 Head of a Woman, 1900 4.2%
    4. 4 Nelly Carrière, 1903 4.2%
    5. 5 L'enfant à la soupière 4.2%
    6. 6 Marguerite Carrière 4.2%
    7. 7 Maternité à l'homme en noir 4.2%
    8. 8 Mother and Child reading 4.2%
    9. 9 Portrait de femme 4.2%
    10. 10 PAYSAGE AVEC LAC 4.2%
    11. 11 Portrait of Pablo Casals, 1903 2.1%
    12. 12 Maternity, 1880 2.1%
    13. 13 The Pianist, 1900 2.1%
    14. 14 Portrait dit de Proust 2.1%
    15. 15 Enfant lisant 2.1%
    16. 16 Le Docteur Léon Gorodiche et sa famille Portrait de famille (titre ancien) 2.1%
    17. 17 Portrait du Dr. Léon Gorodiche Portrait du Dr. X 2.1%
    18. 18 Plusieurs figures dont une femme en jupe rouge 2.1%
    19. 19 Portrait Of The Artist's Mother 2.1%
    20. — Self-Portrait, 1893 this painting 0.0%

    Together these works take 64.9% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 195 works by this artist, of which 36 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.

    Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Oct. 6, 2026

    Self-Portrait — Eugène Anatole Carrière Part 2 · In context

    About this artwork

    Self-Portrait — Eugène Anatole Carrière

    This self-portrait, part of a series begun in 1887, exemplifies Carrière’s signature approach. Nuanced umber tones and hazy brushwork create the impression of the figure materializing out of, or merging into, the surface of the canvas. The misty appearance of Carrière’s work was prized by contemporaries tired of precisely detailed and realistic paintings. A critic once compared Carrière’s style to that of his colleague Auguste Rodin, writing, "Rodin paints in marble and Carrière sculpts with shadow."

    Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Oct. 6, 2026

    Self-Portrait — Eugène Anatole Carrière Part 3 · About this artwork

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    Eugène Anatole Carrière

    Born in Gournay-sur-Marne, France

    **early life and training**

    eugène anatole carrière, a renowned french symbolist artist, was born on january 16, 1849, in gournay-sur-marne, seine-saint-denis. he studied at the école des beaux-arts in paris and later under cabanel, laying the foundation for his future artistic endeavors.

    **artistic style and influences**

    carrière's paintings are best known for their distinctive brown monochrome palette, which has been a subject of fascination for many art enthusiasts. his work was influenced by the art of peter paul rubens, which he was exposed to during his time as a prisoner in dresden. this influence is evident in the glowing colors of his early paintings. *the young mother (1879)*, one of carrière's earliest notable works, is now housed at the musée des beaux-arts de rouen. this piece marked the beginning of his domestic life themes, which would become a hallmark of his artistic style.

    **notable works and exhibitions**

    the sick child (montargis) **the first communion (toulon)* *portrait of louis-henri devillez (1887)*, a highly praised work showcasing carrière's skill in capturing the essence of his subjects. these works, among others, have been exhibited at the société nationale des beaux-arts, which carrière helped establish. his contributions to the art world extend beyond his paintings, as he also played an influential role as an art teacher at académie de la palette.

    **legacy and influence on modern art**

    carrière's monochrome style has been seen in the works of pablo picasso, particularly during his blue period. this influence is a testament to carrière's lasting impact on modern art.

    view more of carrière's works at AllPaintingsStore.com/eugène anatole carrière

    explore the musée des beaux-arts de rouen, which houses some of carrière's early pieces, at discovering the musée des beaux-arts de carcassonne (france)

    learn more about symbolism and its influence on art at the symbolism art movement

    **carrière's legacy continues to inspire artists and art enthusiasts alike, a true pioneer of french symbolism.**

    Where to read more

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for Self-Portrait

    originaluniqueart.com/en/art/download/eugene-anatole-carriere-self-portrait-D3HVCG-en/

    Cite this artwork

    MLA
    Carrière, Eugène Anatole. Self-Portrait. 1893, https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/eugene-anatole-carriere-self-portrait-D3HVCG-en/
    APA
    Carrière, Eugène Anatole (1893). Self-Portrait [Painting]. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/eugene-anatole-carriere-self-portrait-D3HVCG-en/
    Chicago
    Eugène Anatole Carrière. Self-Portrait. 1893. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/eugene-anatole-carriere-self-portrait-D3HVCG-en/
    Harvard
    Carrière, Eugène Anatole (1893) Self-Portrait. Available at: https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/eugene-anatole-carriere-self-portrait-D3HVCG-en/

    Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Oct. 6, 2026

    Self-Portrait — Eugène Anatole Carrière Part 4 · Artist and museum

    Look closely

    Self-Portrait — Eugène Anatole Carrière

    Look closely

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. Our catalogue files this work under: man, face, beard. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
    4. Look back at Portrait of Pablo Casals (1903), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
    5. Symbolism: Pictures where objects stand for ideas — a flower or a door meaning something beyond itself. Where can you see that in this work?

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

    Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Oct. 6, 2026

    Self-Portrait — Eugène Anatole Carrière Part 5 · Look closely

    Questions & Answers

    How harmonious are the colors of "Self-Portrait" by Eugène Anatole Carrière?

    The colors of "Self-Portrait" by Eugène Anatole Carrière show a unified palette harmony. Harmony describes how the colors relate to each other.

    How much light do the colors of "Self-Portrait" appear to reflect?

    The colors of "Self-Portrait" show a dark luminance.

    How light is "Self-Portrait" overall?

    In terms of perceived brightness, "Self-Portrait" by Eugène Anatole Carrière is deep_shadow.