Artist Portrait (So-Called Self-Portrait)

Maulbertsch's Artist Portrait, known as a so-called self-portrait from 1767, is one of the rare opportunities to examine this prolific fresco and altarpiece painter in an intimate introspective mode. Whether or not the identification as a self-portrait is secure, the work demonstrates Maulbertsch's range beyond monumental religious and mythological painting. The informal, probing quality that distinguishes genuine self-portraits from official likenesses — the unguarded directness of the painter examining himself — is evident in this work's painterly immediacy.

The portrait is executed with Maulbertsch's characteristic directness of touch — rapid, confident strokes building a face of strong character without the smoothing conventions of court portraiture. The informal setting and dress suggest genuine self-examination rather than official self-presentation.