Jean-hégésippe Vetter (1820–1901), Self-portrait, Circa 1850

Presumed Self-Portrait, circa 1850
Pencil, pen, and ink wash on paper
18 x 13 cm


Born in Paris in 1820 to parents from Alsace, Jean Hégésippe Vetter received his artistic training at the École des Beaux-Arts in the studio of Charles de Steuben (1788–1856), himself a student and collaborator of François Gérard (1770–1837). He exhibited for the first time at the 1842 Salon and continued to do so regularly until 1872. He received several awards, including third- and second-class medals.

As a history painter, he created historical genre scenes in an anecdotal style that was in vogue during the July Monarchy and the Second Empire. These reenactments were inspired by episodes from the Renaissance and the 16th and 17th centuries and featured figures such as Rabelais, Mazarin, and Louis XIV. He also depicted scenes from Molière’s Les Précieuses Ridicules. Jean Hégésippe Vetter also distinguished himself in the art of society portraiture and was particularly praised by the critics of his time for this work.

The drawing we present here, with its almost photographic realism, attests to Jean Hégésippe Vetter’s technical mastery, as he skillfully combines pencil, pen, and ink wash. The artist depicts himself in a bust portrait, his face resting on his left hand. His lively gaze fixes on the viewer. He wears a hairstyle and a suit with a wide cravat over a jacket with an open collar, typical of the mid-19th century.

Public collections: Paris, Musée d’Orsay; Versailles, Musée du Château; Orléans, Musée des Beaux-Arts; Bordeaux, Musée des Beaux-Arts; Dijon, Musée Magnin; Toulouse, Musée des Augustins.