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Student Artwork Guide

Self Portrait

William Aiken Walker, 1914

Name Class Date
William Aiken Walker, Self Portrait (1914). Public domain. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist
William Aiken Walker originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/william-aiken-walker/
Artist’s dates
1839 – 1921
Painted
1914
Movement
Contemporary Realism Living artists painting the real world with traditional skill, often from photographs as well as from life.

Copyright This work is in the public domain. William Aiken Walker died in 1921; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1991.

Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Sept. 24, 2026

Self Portrait — William Aiken Walker Part 1 · The artwork

In context

Self Portrait — William Aiken Walker

When was this painted?

  1. 1830
  2. 1840
  3. 1850
  4. 1860
  5. 1870
  6. 1880
  7. 1890
  8. 1900
  9. 1910
  10. 1920

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 82 at death.

Painted when the artist was 75. The artist lived to 82. 51 of the 59 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.

Shaded: the lifetime of William Aiken Walker (1839–1921) ▲ this work, 1914 every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1880 Main working years: 1880–1907 Late works: from 1907

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/william-aiken-walker-self-portrait-8DP9RE-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Espresso #653c33

    Catalogued palette

    • #653C33
    • #D3B491
    • #201519
    • #AE815E

    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
    Espresso
    Intensity
    Balanced How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Statement How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Strong Color Unity How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Balanced 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 William Aiken Walker over the last twelve months — 3 countries in all. Where these figures come from

    The ten leading countries

    1. 1 China 84.1%
    2. 2 United States of America 13.6%
    3. 3 Canada 2.3%

    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 William Aiken Walker

    1. 1 Card Players on the Steamboar, 1880 3.8%
    2. 2 Cottonfield with Bayou, Steamboat, Road, Cabin and Fieldhands 3.8%
    3. 3 Noon Day Pause in the Cotton Field 3.8%
    4. 4 Charleston Vegetable Woman 3.8%
    5. 5 Cotton Pickers 3.8%
    6. 6 Florida Seascape with Sand Dune, Palm Tree, Yucca, Cactus and Sailboat 3.8%
    7. 7 Negro Man in Cotton Field with Basket of Cotton on Head 3.8%
    8. 8 Still LIfe with Cheese, Bottle of Wine and Mouse, 1876 1.9%
    9. 9 Rabbit, Duck and Snipe, 1887 1.9%
    10. 10 Negro Man, Two Boys and Dog in Cotton Field, 1885 1.9%
    11. 11 Man on Dock LIghting Pipe, 1849 1.9%
    12. 12 North Carolina Homestead with Mountains and Field, 1897 1.9%
    13. 13 Forest with Ferns and Mushrooms, 1910 1.9%
    14. 14 On the Road to Natchez, 1888 1.9%
    15. 15 View of St. Augustine Harbor 1.9%
    16. 16 Negro Couple in Cotton Field, Woman with Yellow Bonnet, 1889 1.9%
    17. 17 Autumn Wood In North Carolina With Tree Stumps In Water 1.9%
    18. 18 Negro Man And Woman In Cotton Field With Cotton Baskets 1 1.9%
    19. 19 Negro Man and Woman with Cotton Field 1.9%
    20. — Self Portrait, 1914 this painting 0.0%

    Together these works take 49.4% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 164 works by this artist, of which 46 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 Sept. 24, 2026

    Self Portrait — William Aiken Walker Part 2 · In context

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    William Aiken Walker

    Born in Charleston, United States of America

    William Aiken Walker: A Life in Paint

    William Aiken Walker (March 11, 1839 – January 3, 1921) was an American artist renowned for his genre paintings, particularly those capturing the lives of African Americans in the post-Reconstruction South. His work offers a poignant glimpse into a pivotal period of American history.

    Early Life and Influences

    Born in Charleston, South Carolina, to an Irish Protestant father and a mother with deep roots in South Carolina society, Walker’s early life was marked by relocation following his father's death in 1842. The family moved to Baltimore, Maryland, before returning to Charleston in 1848. This exposure to different environments likely shaped his artistic perspective.

    Artistic Development and Career

    Walker’s artistic journey began with formal training, though details remain scarce. He is primarily self-taught. During the American Civil War, he enlisted in the Confederate Army, serving under General Wade Hampton. Wounded at the Battle of Seven Pines in 1862, his subsequent assignment to picket duty unexpectedly provided him with time to paint.

    He became celebrated for his depictions of everyday life, focusing particularly on the experiences of Black sharecroppers and laborers. His paintings are characterized by a realistic style and an empathetic portrayal of his subjects. Two of his most recognized works – depicting scenes from rural Southern life – were reproduced as chromolithographs by Currier and Ives, significantly expanding their reach.

    Notable Works

    Bombardment of Fort Sumter, Charleston Harbor, Charleston, South Carolina, 1863: A powerful depiction of a key event initiating the Civil War.

    St. Finebar's Church, Broad Street, Charleston: Showcasing Walker’s skill in architectural painting and capturing the essence of Charleston’s cityscape.

    Cotton Gin, Adams County, Mississippi: A representative example of his genre scenes focusing on agricultural labor.

    Cabin Scene 1: Illustrating the living conditions of sharecroppers with striking realism.

    Themes and Style

    Walker’s work is distinguished by its focus on genre painting, a style that depicts scenes from everyday life. He masterfully captured the dignity and resilience of his subjects, offering a nuanced perspective on post-Reconstruction Southern society. His paintings often portray the hardships faced by African Americans while also highlighting their strength and community spirit.

    Historical Significance & Legacy

    Walker’s art provides valuable historical documentation of a complex period in American history. He offers insights into the social, economic, and racial dynamics of the post-Civil War South that are often absent from more formal historical accounts. His paintings serve as visual testimonies to the lives of those who lived through this era.

    He continued painting until his death on January 3, 1921, in Charleston, where he is buried in the family plot at Magnolia Cemetery. Today, his work can be found in museums such as the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, South Carolina, ensuring that his legacy continues to inspire and inform future generations.

    Influences

    While specific artistic influences are not extensively documented, Walker’s realism suggests an awareness of contemporary American genre painters. His focus on social commentary aligns with a broader trend in 19th-century art towards addressing issues of class and inequality.

    Where to read more

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for Self Portrait

    originaluniqueart.com/en/art/download/william-aiken-walker-self-portrait-8DP9RE-en/

    Cite this artwork

    MLA
    Walker, William Aiken. Self Portrait. 1914, https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/william-aiken-walker-self-portrait-8DP9RE-en/
    APA
    Walker, William Aiken (1914). Self Portrait [Painting]. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/william-aiken-walker-self-portrait-8DP9RE-en/
    Chicago
    William Aiken Walker. Self Portrait. 1914. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/william-aiken-walker-self-portrait-8DP9RE-en/
    Harvard
    Walker, William Aiken (1914) Self Portrait. Available at: https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/william-aiken-walker-self-portrait-8DP9RE-en/

    Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Sept. 24, 2026

    Self Portrait — William Aiken Walker Part 3 · Artist and museum

    Look closely

    Self Portrait — William Aiken Walker

    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. How many faces can you find? ____ (our catalogue counts 1 — do you agree?)
    4. Our catalogue files this work under: portrait, dignified gentleman, mustache. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
    5. Look back at Still LIfe with Cheese, Bottle of Wine and Mouse (1876), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.

    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 Sept. 24, 2026

    Self Portrait — William Aiken Walker Part 4 · Look closely

    Questions & Answers

    Is William Aiken Walker, creator of "Self Portrait", known under other names?

    William Aiken Walker is also known as William Aiken, William Sidney Walker, William Franklin Walker.

    Toward which tone does "Self Portrait" lean?

    "Self Portrait" leans toward an amber to saffron tone.

    How many people view "Self Portrait"?

    A Stats page exists for "Self Portrait". It charts the monthly visits of the artwork and of the artist's other works, with country and language breakdowns.