Painters' Self portraits as mememto mori

Albrecht Bouts, 1451-55

Various painters made self portraits with skeletons or skulls on their sides. All of them depicted their personal perception and attitude towards Death. Others seem to feel terrified, afraid or at least pensive, others seem to be brave and courageous, and some seem to be carefree and playful. Watch each painting and guess their attitudes.

David Bailly "selfportrait" (1651)

Salvator Rosa, 1647

Thomas Smith, 1680

Antoine Steenwinkel, 17th cent.

Johan Zoffany, 1776

Arnold Böcklin, 1872

Oskar Zwintscher (1897)

Lovis Corinth, 1896

Jacek Malczewski, 1902

Stevan Aleksić, 1909

Stevan Aleksić, 1919

Luigi Russolo, Self-Portrait, 1909

Odd Nerdrum (1944-) self portrait with child's skull

Carel Willink, Self-portrait, 1936

Bernard Buffet, 1981