Self Portrait

Raphael's Self-Portrait is a small oil painting on poplar wood, created between 1504 and 1506 during his early years in Florence. Depicting the artist in a modest black robe and bonnet, it reveals influences from both Leonardo da Vinci and Northern European painting traditions. The plain brown background and his shadow cast to the right emphasize the intimacy of the work. The painting, possibly unfinished, exhibits fine technical detail achieved through techniques like chalk underdrawings and infrared reflectography. As an example of High renaissance portraiture, it showcases Raphael’s rising mastery before his mature style.