The “Self-Portrait at the Age of Twenty Eight” is an artwork by Albrecht Dürer dated to 1500. This oil on panel painting measures 67.1 cm by 48.9 cm and resides in the Alte Pinakothek, Munich, Germany. As a prominent example of the Northern Renaissance art movement, it showcases Dürer’s self-representation during his youth.
The painting reveals a striking male figure gazing directly at the viewer. Albrecht Dürer portrays himself with long, wavy auburn hair that frames his face and trails over his shoulders. His eyes are deep and arresting, conveying a sense of intellectual intensity and calm self-confidence. Dürer sports a dark, fur-trimmed coat with reddish-brown tones, complementing his hair.
An inscription is displayed prominently at the upper right corner of the painting, which not only provides the artist’s name but also includes the year the painting was made along with Dürer’s age at the time. The striking frontal composition with Dürer’s direct gaze and the positioning of his right hand on his chest are reminiscent of traditional religious images of Christ, which suggests a strong sense of self-awareness and possibly reflects the artist’s perception of the intellectual and creative role of the artist in society. The self-portrait’s lifelike quality and attention to detail are characteristic of Dürer’s mastery of the oil medium and his deep understanding of human anatomy and proportion, which are hallmarks of the Northern Renaissance style.
