Parmigiano: Self Portrait in a Mirror

Parmigiano: Self portrait in a Mirror
1524
diameter 25 cm

• The artist worked in Parma anf the Papal court in Rome
• He was identified as the next Raphael
• recognised as a "smooth guy" who epitomizes the courtly ideal of an artist
  
• This self portrait served as a demonstration of his artistic skills before he left for Rome
  
• He makes claims for himself as an artist by depicting himself and immortalizing himself
• shows ability to depict distortion in a convex mirror
  
• The enlarged hand places information on "the artist's hand"
• He dresses himself in lavish costume and the window and halo of light around his head heralds his divine status
• meditation of light and the body
• It is painted on a small wooden disc and mimics a real mirror
  
• Depicts self as an adolescent even though he is 20 at the time
  
• The reference to the mirror is symbolic of slef-knowledge
  
• The objects and knowledge construct his identity
• Mirrors were also used as an allegory for Narcissism or aping