The Many Faces of the Self-Portrait

Artists have been drawing and painting portraits of themselves for centuries. Historically, self-portraiture appears as an artist’s way of constructing their public image, showcasing their skills and status. The invention of photography has brought self-portraits everywhere. And now, social media has made selfies part of our shared reality.

In this episode, we place the self-portrait under a magnifying glass and examine the works of artists known for their self-portraits, such as Helene Schjerfbeck and Elina Brotherus, and uncover their meanings: what do they say about their creators, their time, and us as viewers.

We are jumping into the discussion with experts from the Finnish National Gallery. The episode features guests Marja Lahelma, Ateneum Chief Curator, and Patrik Nyberg, Kiasma Curator. The discussion is hosted by singer-songwriter Maija Vilkkumaa.

The Many Faces of the Self-Portrait episode opens a fascinating perspective on the diverse interpretation of self-portraits from the 18th century to the present day.

Images:

Helene Schjerfbeck. Self-Portrait, Black Background, 1915. Finnish National Gallery Collection / Ateneum Art Museum, Herman and Elisabeth Hallonblad collection. Photo: Finnish National Gallery / Hannu Aaltonen

Elina Brotherus, Mirror, 2001. Finnish National Gallery Collection / Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma
Photo: Finnish National Gallery. © Kuvasto, 2026

Ellen Thesleff, Self-Portrait, 1894 – 1895. Finnish National Gallery Collection / Ateneum Art Museum
Photo: Finnish National Gallery / Jenni Nurminen.

Hugo Simberg, 1907. Part of the series Photographs of Hugo Simberg Archive. Part of the archive Hugo Simberg Archive. Finnish National Gallery Collection.

Joel Slotte, Aspirant Knight, 2020. Finnish National Gallery Collection / Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma. Photo: Finnish National Gallery / Petri Virtanen. © Kuvasto, 2026