Watercolour

John Bellany 'Self-portrait (with Sir Roy Calne)' 1922
This painting is referred to as a ‘diptych’ meaning it is in two parts. Although it is a commissioned portrait of Sir Roy Calne it is also a self-portrait by the contemporary artist John Bellany. Occasionally artists include an image of themselves reflected in a mirror when making a portrait of someone else and therefore the work becomes a self-portrait as well. John Bellany though has placed himself to the side of the other figure taking up a similar amount of space and presented with an equal amount of importance. The figures are divided by a vertical line running through the middle of the picture plane perhaps implying that the people may not be literally standing together but are connected in a more abstract way, possibly in their roles as artist and sitter. The painting is highly stylized and has a fantasy element with objects and colours placed randomly in the background. John Bellany has chosen watercolour which is usually thought of as a delicate medium but this is a good example of its potential for bold, vibrant colour.

Using watercolour as a material for making a self-portrait

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