Self-portrait

Simon Bening’s self-portrait is remarkably small, measuring only 3 3/8 by 2 1/4 inches. Created with tempera and gold leaf on parchment in 1558. It resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The self-portrait shows Bening in a fur-trimmed robe. A cap sits on his head. His gaze is direct, meeting the viewer’s eyes. Despite his age, his hand is steady in the miniature’s fine detail.

Bening’s self-portrait is classified among manuscripts and illuminations. It was acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of the Robert Lehman Collection in 1975.

Simon Bening was active in Bruges from around 1510 until his death. He was a respected member of the Guild of Saint John and Saint Luke, serving as a dean multiple times.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/459254

https://oolf.net/open-art/bening-self-portrait-1558/