(Curatorial description, accessed: 9 September 2021)
Here Vernet depicted himself in his studio in Rome after a journey through North Africa. Oriental exotica - the white baggy trousers, a red scarf at the waist, the long pipe, weaponry and carpet - are set against the prosaic details of the interior - the simple chair, the iron stove. Behind Vernet is a large empty canvas, suggesting that the artist is deep in thought, meditating of his next picture. Without being a particularly deep psychological study, this self-portrait provides us with an idea of Vernet's character: his sober, perceptive mind, self-confidence and tendency to show-off.
