Self-Portrait

The young Van Dyck presents himself as a courtly gentleman, with no reference to his profession other than the painting itself. The portrait probably dates from the artist’s stay in London during the winter of 1620–21, and certainly before he left his native Antwerp for Italy in autumn 1621. That Van Dyck’s father dealt in fine fabrics partly explains his predilection for rich attire (which was remarked by Bellori, an early biographer) and perhaps his elegant descriptions of drapery. (Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art)