Self-Portrait in 17th Century Costume ; Self-Portrait in Dress of the 17th Century

Edelfelt's self-portrait in seventeenth-century costume is a playful historical masquerade reflecting the late nineteenth century's fascination with Old Master painting and particularly with Dutch and Flemish portrait traditions. By dressing in period costume, Edelfelt placed himself within an artistic lineage going back to Rembrandt's own self-portraits in historical dress, asserting his identity as a serious painter with deep roots in European tradition. The Ateneum canvas dates from 1889, when Edelfelt was at the height of his Parisian success and beginning to reflect more explicitly on his artistic identity.

Edelfelt renders the seventeenth-century dress and ruff with the virtuosity his patrons expected, using confident, fluid handling to convey the textures of fabric, lace, and metal fastenings. The face beneath the historical costume is painted with the direct observation of a self-portrait, creating an interesting tension between historical fiction and personal truth.