Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. Simon Bening died in 1561; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1631.
In context
Self-portrait — Simon Bening
The original measures 9 × 6 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 78 at death.
Painted when the artist was 75. The artist lived to 78. 10 of the 12 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.
Shaded: the lifetime of Simon Bening (1483–1561) ▲ this work, 1558 every dated painting, decade by decade
First works: up to 1530 Main working years: 1530–1535 Late works: from 1535
Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them
Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.
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Measured from the image
Main colour
Espresso #5f4b34
Catalogued palette
These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour
The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 100.0% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 21 works by this artist, of which 7 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
About this artwork
Self-portrait — Simon Bening
Written in gold on a red background is an inscription that identifies this miniature as a self-portrait of the famous Bruges illuminator, Simon Bening: "Simon Bennik, the son of Alexander, painted this himself at the age of 75 in 1558."Simon Bening became one of the most famous illuminators of the sixteenth century. He spent his early years in Ghent or Antwerp, probably working under the tutelage of his father, the illuminator Alexander Bening. Simon moved to Bruges permanently in 1517, where over time he headed a large and flourishing workshop. Although Bening was much admired in his day and widely imitated, his artistic personality has yet to be thoroughly studied.This miniature painting has attracted considerable interest in art history as an early self-portrait of an artist. Bening portrays himself, spectacles in hand, seated before a wooden easel. The easel holds a drawing of the Virgin and Child; along its left edge, small ledges hold various painting materials. In representing this imagery Bening allies himself with Saint Luke, the patron saint of painting, who is traditionally shown painting an image of the Virgin - a subject that itself became a conceit for the self-portrait of the artist in the 15th and 16th centuries. Bening portrays himself not in the garb of an artisan, but as a member of the intelligentsia. By inscribing his work with a signature (as the son of Alexander) and a date, he acknowledges his talents and heritage in the distinguished lineage of Bening illuminators in Bruges. The illumination was probably made as an independent work, rather than as part of a book, at a time when autonomous miniatures increasingly came into production. A second version of this miniature is in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
Artist and museum
Born in Ghent, Belgium
In the delicate, luminous realm of Flemish illumination, few names resonate with as much prestige as Simon Bening. Often celebrated as the last great master of the Netherlandish tradition, Bening possessed a singular ability to transform tiny vellum surfaces into expansive, breathing landscapes and profound spiritual meditations. His life was deeply rooted in the rich artistic heritage of the Low Countries; born in either Ghent or Antwerp, he likely began his journey within the family workshop under the guidance of his father, the esteemed illuminator Alexander Bening. This lineage provided him with a foundation of technical excellence that would eventually allow him to lead one of the most flourishing workshops in Bruges.
As Bening moved through the artistic hubs of Ghent and Bruges, his reputation grew alongside his mastery of the miniature. By 1508, he had officially joined the Guild of Saint John and Saint Luke in Bruges, a testament to his standing among the professional elite. His career was marked by a seamless transition between the late Gothic sensibilities of his predecessors and the burgeoning nuances of the early Renaissance. This period of artistic evolution is perhaps most poignantly captured in his Self-portrait, a work that serves as much more than a mere likeness. In this miniature, Bening presents himself not simply as a craftsman, but as an intellectual, seated before an easel with spectacles in hand—a symbolic nod to the meticulous observation required by his craft and an alignment with Saint Luke, the patron saint of painters.
The true magic of Bening’s work lies in his capacity to create "miniature worlds" that invite the viewer into a state of quiet contemplation. His Book of Hours serves as a prime example of this devotional artistry, where each page acts as a prayerful jewel intended to remind the faithful of the omnipresence of the divine. Through an exquisite manipulation of light and shadow, Bening achieved a sense of three-dimensionality that defied the small scale of his medium. His technique allowed for a breathtaking level of detail, from the subtle textures of luxurious fabrics to the atmospheric depth of landscapes that seem to stretch far beyond the borders of the page.
Beyond his technical prowess, Bening’s historical significance is found in his role as a bridge between eras. While he maintained the rigorous traditions of the Ghent-Bruges school, his work embraced the new humanistic focus on detail and naturalism. His achievements are reflected in the enduring presence of his works in the world's most prestigious collections, where they continue to offer glimpses into the spiritual and aesthetic soul of the sixteenth century. Through his hands, the ephemeral beauty of illumination reached a pinnacle of perfection, leaving behind a legacy of light, color, and profound devotion.
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Look closely
Self-portrait — Simon Bening
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The AR Preview page of "Self-portrait" by Simon Bening uses augmented reality to show the artwork in your own space, on a compatible device.
Overall, "Self-portrait" is recorded as deep_shadow. Perceived brightness describes how light or dark the work appears.
Simon Bening made "Self-portrait" at the age of 75. The artist was born in 1483 and the work is dated 1558.