Facing the World

The self-portrait is one of the most fascinating themes in art history. This book illustrates an exciting survey of around 150 self-portraits from Rembrandt to Ai Weiwei, covering six centuries and a wide variety of media. Featured artists include such famous names as Palma Vecchio, Gustave Courbet, Anselm Feuerbach, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Henri Matisse, Max Beckmann, Andy Warhol, Marina Abramovic and Tracey Emin. The works are drawn from three major European collections: the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Lyon, the National Galleries of Scotland in Edinburgh and the Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe. Introductory essays by three distinguished authors representing each of the participating member countries of the European Union delve further into a topic which, in the age of the selfie, Facebook and Instagram, seems more relevant than ever.

The book accompanies an exhibition which will be held at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh from 16 July to 16 October 2016, organised in conjunction with the Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe (exhibition 31 October 2015 – 31 January 2016) and the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Lyon (exhibition 26 March – 26 June 2016).