Self-Portrait

Maker Richard Cosway (British, 1742-1821)

ClassificationsDRAWINGS

Daten.d.

Mediumpencil, wash, and gouache on paper

Dimensions4 3/4 x 3 in. (12.1 x 7.6 cm.)

DescriptionPortrait drawing in metal frame

Credit LineThe Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens

Label TextCosway portrayed himself several times in both miniatures and drawings in fancy dress, ranging from Elizabethan to Van Dyck dress to more exotic costumes. In this self-portrait, he appears in Spanish clothing. Cosway promoted his image as a dandy and an erudite collector in these fancy dress self-portraits, drawing upon the compositions of the Old Masters in his own collection. This particular self-portrait was engraved in 1788 and widely circulated.

Status

Not on view

Object number27.141

Terms