Self-Portrait before the Easel

Description

A self-portrait showing the young artist standing before his easel, palette in hand. The painting offers a rare glimpse of Drost's self-conception as an artist.

Analysis

This self-portrait differs from Drost's religious self-portraits as Saint John by presenting him in a professional context — as a painter at work. The direct engagement with the viewer and the confident handling of paint reveal the self-awareness of an artist who knew his own skill. The Ashmolean's attribution has been supported by technical analysis.