Portrait of the Artist

Walker's Portrait of the Artist — another self-portrait from around the same period — reinforces his commitment to self-documentation as a painter operating in a politically turbulent environment. During the Interregnum, English portrait painting underwent a significant shift away from the Van Dyckian aristocratic ideal toward the more sober, direct manner that Walker exemplified. His works are important documents of the cultural transformation of the mid-17th-century English art world.

The artist depicts himself in dark, unpretentious dress with the same direct, unadorned approach as his other self-portrait. The composition is simple and frontal, with careful modeling of the face in even, diffused light. No elaborate accessories or theatrical drapery distract from the honest self-observation.