Self-Portrait

Soest's Self-Portrait from around 1660 comes from the early Restoration period, when the London art world was beginning to recover under Charles II's patronage. Soest never achieved the fame of his rival Peter Lely, but he maintained a steady practice among English middle-class and gentry patrons who preferred a less flattering but more honest approach. This self-portrait is a key document of his artistic identity within the London portrait market.

Soest depicts himself in informal studio attire with a direct, unflattering gaze. His handling is more robust and less smoothed than Lely's fashionable style, with stronger chiaroscuro and a more naturalistic treatment of the face and costume.