Painting himself was a way for the artist to experiment outside of the strict traditions of the time.
Other self-portraits portray the artist caught in wide-eyed surprise and trying to be silent.
18th-century French artist Joseph Ducreux created playful self-portraits of himself in different poses and expressions.
Joseph Ducreux, self-portrait entitled “The Surprise in Terror,” c. 1790s (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Joseph Ducreux, “Self-Portrait of the Artist in the Guise of a Mocker,” c. 1790s (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Joseph Ducreux, Self-Portrait entitled “The Silence,” c. 1790s (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Joseph Ducreux, self-portrait entitled “The Surprise in Terror,” c. 1790s (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Joseph Ducreux, “Self-Portrait, Yawning,” c. 1783 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Joseph Ducreux, Self-Portrait entitled “The Discreet,” c. 1790s (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
