William Orpen was one of the most successful portrait painters of the early 20th century. Orpen greatly admired the careful control of light and shadow in the work of the 18th-century French artist Jean Chardin. This self-portrait is an homage to Chardin, who had painted himself with a similar white head covering. However, Orpen has used his own looser style of brushwork.

Object description
Type: Easel painting
Location: Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Material: Oil on canvas
Artist: Sir William Orpen RA (1878-1931)
Date: 1908

Image details
Date: 14 June 2019
Camera body: iPhone 7 Plus
Lens: Wide Camera 28mm ƒ/1.8
Focal Length: 28mm
Aperture: ƒ/1.8
Shutter Speed: 1/11s
ISO: 100
Licensing: Image of a North East Museums asset. This image cannot be licensed.