Self-Portrait thumbnail 1
On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Self-Portrait

Oil Painting
ca. 1777 (painted)
Artist/Maker
Barry, James (painter (artist))
Place of origin
Great Britain (painted)

Barry was born in Ireland and settled in London in 1771. This self-portrait is an intense depiction of himself. His preference for grand historical subjects over conventional portraiture meant he had few wealthy patrons and Barry died in poverty in 1806.

Object details

Categories
Paintings
Portraits
Object type
Oil painting
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Oil Paintings
  • Frame
Titles
  • Self-Portrait (popular title)
  • Portrait of the Artist (popular title)
Materials and techniques
oil on canvas
Oil Paint
Canvas
Oil Painting
Brief description
Oil painting, Self Portrait by James Barry, ca, 1777.
Physical description
We see Barry here on the evidence of his apparent age during or just after the completion of his greatest work, the cycle of oils commissioned for the Adelphi. He depicts himself perhaps contemplating the results of recent hardships in painting this commission gratis.
Dimensions
  • Height: 42cm
  • Width: 34.4cm
  • Frame height: 56.5cm
  • Frame width: 49cm
Style
British School
Credit line
Bequeathed by John M. Parsons
Object history
Bequeathed by John M. Parsons, 1870
Subject depicted
Barry, James
Summary
Barry was born in Ireland and settled in London in 1771. This self-portrait is an intense depiction of himself. His preference for grand historical subjects over conventional portraiture meant he had few wealthy patrons and Barry died in poverty in 1806.
Bibliographic references
  • Dunne, Tom (ed.), James Barry, 1741-1806 : 'The great historical painter', Kinsale, Co. Cork : Gandon Editions for the Crawford Art Gallery, 2005 P3
  • Sturgis, Alexander, Rupert Christiansen, Lois Oliver and Michael Wilson Rebels and Martyrs : The Image of the Artist in the Nineteenth Century. London : The National Gallery, 2006 no.5
  • 100 Great Paintings in The Victoria & Albert Museum. London: V&A, 1985, p. 72
  • James Barry, 1741-1806 : 'the great historical painter ' / editor: Tom Dunne ; with contributions by William L. Pressly ... [et al.]. exh.cat. Cork: Crawford Art Gallery, 2005, p. 68, cat. no. P.3
  • Pressly, William L. James Barry: the artist as hero. exh.cat. London: Tate Gallery, 1983, p.150-151, cat. no. 93
  • Evans, Mark et al. Vikutoria & Arubāto Bijutsukan-zō : eikoku romanshugi kaigaten = The Romantic tradition in British painting, 1800-1950 : masterpieces from the Victoria and Albert Museum. Japan : Brain Trust, 2002
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
564-1870

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Record createdDecember 15, 1999
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O16398/self-portrait-oil-painting-barry-james/
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