Self-portrait

Adolphe Valette 1876 - 1942

Summary

Bust-length self-portrait of the artist depicted in a domestic setting with a still life arrangement. He is seen in profile to the right, with his back facing the left edge of the painting and his head turned in three-quarter view towards the viewer. Depicted as a youthful man, he has brown hair and beard and wears a jacket with white shirt and blue tie. Beside him is a table or sideboard with a still-life arrangement comprising of a bottle of white wine, a rose, a lemon and two oranges, and an oriental ginger jar at the extreme right edge, behind which are the leafy stems of a plant. Hung on the wall above the still-life composition, although only partially visible, is the bottom edge of a painting in an Impressionist style. Behind he artist is a shadowy doorway.

Display Label

Self-Portrait about 1917 Adolphe Valette 1876-1942 Oil on canvas It is a common myth about Valette that he won a prize at art school in 1903, enabling him to travel to Japan, his trip being only prevented by the Russo-Japanese war. In fact, he was declared ineligible for the scholarship because he already earned his living as a draughtsman. The flat, asymmetrical arrangement of this self-portrait which includes a blue-and-white oriental ginger jar shows the enduring influence of Japanese art on Valette. This work was presented to the gallery by Annie Barnett who was a pupil and friend of the artist. She took care of him following the death of his first wife and kept in touch with Valette after his return to France. Gift of Miss Annie Barnett 1938.407