Self-portrait in Polish nobleman's dress
Maurycy Gottlieb · 1874
Why it's great
Gottlieb, a young Jewish painter, dresses himself as a Polish nobleman, wearing a fur-trimmed coat and a fur hat. He painted this when he was about 20 as a way of saying that Jews were also a part of Polish culture. The proud pose and rich costume are meant to be a statement. It's one of the best-known self-portraits in Polish-Jewish art.
Where to see it
📍 Museum of the History of Polish JewsWarsaw, Poland
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Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
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Maurycy Gottlieb was born in Drohobych, in Galicia, to a Jewish family and studied art in Kraków, Vienna and Munich. He was a student of the great painter Jan Matejko and painted striking pictures of Jewish life and history. He died in Kraków in 1879 at only 22. His few works are treasured today.
