Zelfportret met zieke voet (c. 1898)
Technique: Giclée quality print
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"Zelfportret met zieke voet" (Self-Portrait with a Sick Foot), created around 1898 by the celebrated Dutch artist Jozef Israëls, presents a striking and contemplative exploration of the human condition during times of personal distress. In this painting, Israëls depicts himself as an aging man, draped in a heavy, richly colored blanket, reclining on a chaise longue. His pose and expression are pensive, evoking a sense of weariness or resignation perhaps linked to the ailment of his foot, which the title references.The artist's mastery in handling light and texture is evident in the contrast between the muted, earthy tones of the background and the more vividly highlighted areas of his figure, such as his white bandaged foot and the luminous aspects of his face and hands. Despite the painting's relatively somber palette, there is a warm undertone that emphasizes the humanity and vulnerability of the figure portrayed.This self-portrait not only offers a glimpse into the private world of Jozef Israëls during a moment of physical vulnerability but also serves as a universal representation of aging and the introspective reflection that often accompanies it.
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Jozef Israëls was a Dutch painter. He was a leading member of the group of landscape painters referred to as the Hague School and, during his lifetime, "the most respected Dutch artist of the second half of the nineteenth century".
He was born in Groningen, of Jewish parents. His father, Hartog Abraham Israëls, intended for him to be a businessman, and it was only after a determined struggle that he was allowed to embark on an artistic career. He studied initially from 1835 to 1842 at the Minerva Academy in his home town Groningen.