Richard Hamilton

Four Self Portraits - 05.3.81

1990

© The estate of Richard Hamilton

License this image

Not on display
Artist
Richard Hamilton 1922–2011
Medium
Oil paint and enamel on cibachrome print on 4 canvases
Dimensions
Support, each: 755 x 754 x 32 mm
Collection
Tate / National Galleries of Scotland
Acquisition
ARTIST ROOMS Acquired jointly with the National Galleries of Scotland through The d'Offay Donation with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Art Fund 2008
Reference
AR00141

Online caption

Richard Hamilton was a key figure in the British and international Pop Art movements, as well as being one of its main theoreticians. The majority of his work is concerned with the art historical traditions in contemporary art. ‘Four Self-Portraits 05.3.81’ takes portraiture as its starting point, using new media to expand its boundaries. Instead of limiting the portrait to a single image, Hamilton uses four. In the early 1980s, the artist took Polaroids of himself and added layers of acrylic colour. After ten years, he digitally converted the photos into transparencies to be made into enlarged prints. Mounted on canvas, they epitomize the layered way in which Hamilton’s works deal with artistic media.

Explore

You might like

Richard Hamilton, ‘The state’ 1993

Richard Hamilton The state

1993
T06775
Richard Hamilton, ‘The citizen’ 1981–3

Richard Hamilton The citizen

1981–3
On display at Tate Modern part of Artist and Society T03980
Richard Hamilton, ‘The subject’ 1988–90

Richard Hamilton The subject

1988–90
T06774
Richard Hamilton, ‘Self-portrait (1965)’ 1982

Richard Hamilton Self-portrait (1965)

1982
P79805
Michael Gross, ‘Self Portrait’ 1996

Michael Gross Self Portrait

1996
T07650
Gerhard Richter, ‘Self-Portrait, Three Times, 24.1.90’ 1990

Gerhard Richter Self-Portrait, Three Times, 24.1.90

1990
T06514
Richard Hamilton, ‘Derek Jarman’ 1996–7

Richard Hamilton Derek Jarman

1996–7
P78013
Richard Hamilton, ‘Palindrome’ 1974

Richard Hamilton Palindrome

1974
P79815
Sir Lawrence Gowing, ‘Portrait of Sir Norman Reid’ 1980

Sir Lawrence Gowing Portrait of Sir Norman Reid

1980
T03208
Sarah Lucas, ‘Self Portrait with Skull’ 1997

Sarah Lucas Self Portrait with Skull

1997
P78450
Gerhard Richter, ‘Self Portrait Standing, Three Times, 17.3.1991’ 1991

Gerhard Richter Self Portrait Standing, Three Times, 17.3.1991

1991
AR00182
Norman Blamey, ‘Decoy Duck and Self-Portrait’ 1984–5

Norman Blamey Decoy Duck and Self-Portrait

1984–5
T04116
Helen Lessore, ‘Portrait of David Wilkie’ 1967

Helen Lessore Portrait of David Wilkie

1967
T06767
Sarah Lucas, ‘Self Portrait with Knickers’ 1994

Sarah Lucas Self Portrait with Knickers

1994
P78446
Sarah Lucas, ‘Self Portrait with Mug of Tea’ 1993

Sarah Lucas Self Portrait with Mug of Tea

1993
P78445