Reflections on the Self at Christie's, Mayfair

Yesterday a new exhibition opened at Christie's in Mayfair with a focus on the art of the self-portrait. Titled Reflections on the Self: From Dürer to Struth it provides a unique in-depth guide to this much loved genre. A very comprehensive e-catalogue can be found on Christie's website discussing the history of the self-portrait and listing works on display or for sale. The price tags will undoubtedly reflect the prominance of the contemporary artists, or the value of the works by past masters, but the exhibition is free to look around.

The show features a photograph of artist Thomas Struth looking upon a self-portrait painted in 1500. The painting by Albrecht Dürer, called Self-Portrait as Christ, is one of the earliest of its kind. It's a striking depiction of a long-haired and bearded Dürer, staring intensely at the viewer in his Christ-like garments. In contrast Struth's portrait only shows him from behind, as he stands deep in thought, gazing at Dürer's painting. By drawing attention to the five-hundred-year-gap between the works, Struth encourages the viewer to reflect upon the historical development of the self-portrait and the significance of an artist's self-awareness.

The development across time of the genre of the self-portrait is a key theme for the rest of the exhibition. It highlights how artists have found new ways to portray themselves over the centuries. These self-expressions have been strongly influenced by changes in culture, politics, technology and the availability of certain art materials. Starting with the development of the flat glass mirror, an evolution in technique can be witnessed as each century brings new innovations like photography, film and digital media. On display are works by famous innovators, Richard Hamilton and Andy Warhol, demonstrating the impact of experimentation.

Such a wide range of styles, encompassing a broad spectrum of artistic movements, makes this a very commendable exhibition. It shows how Rembrandt's prolific output of self-portraits, in various guises, paved the way for subsequent artists to depict themselves in different poses throughout their life times. Moving beyond a grand gesture at the height of an artist's career, it explores the self-portrait as an important tool for self-expression. Indeed, emotions are revealed to all in the expressionist works of Edvard Munch and in the autobiographical masterpieces of post-war artists like Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon.

The many choices that artists can make in how to portray themselves and convey their identity are apparent in this show. While some, like Jenny Saville, have been unafraid to paint their own naked body, others, such as Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth, have found it easier to sculpt just one natural feature-sometimes simply a lone hand. Perhaps the most visually pleasing self-portraits utilise the simplest concepts. An example would be Marcel Duchamp's Self-Portrait in Profile (1963), celebrating the main characteristics of his face in a black silhouette against a coloured paper background.

Overall, Christie's has mounted an enticing display of famous self-portraits. Despite leaning too heavily towards certain artists of the 20th or 21st centuries, this is nevertheless a thorough exploration of the genre.

Location: Christie's Mayfair, 103 New Bond Street, London W1S 1ST

Opening hours: Monday to Friday 10am to 6pm, Saturdays 12pm to 5pm, closed on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

The exhibition runs until 5th September 2015. For more information visit www.christies.com.