Born in 1823 in the Eure region of France, Théodule Ribot had a difficult childhood. After moving to Paris in 1845 and taking on various jobs, he studied painting in Auguste Glaize’s studio. Influenced by Spanish Golden Age masters, notably Jusepe de Ribera, and by Gustave Courbet, Ribot became a key figure in the emerging Realist movement. In 1859, he participated in an exhibition for rejected Salon artists in François Bonvin’s studio, alongside, amongst others, James Whistler and Henri Fantin-Latour. Ribot began exhibiting at the Salon in 1861 and gained critical acclaim for his kitchen scenes.
True to the Realist tradition, Ribot drew inspiration from his surroundings, focusing on the creation of interior scenes, portraits, and still lifes marked by careful observation and chiaroscuro. A prolific and skilled draughtsman, he regarded his drawings as finished works rather than as studies for paintings. Using a mix of ink, watercolour, black chalk, and charcoal, Ribot created a significant body of small-scale works, which he saw as a way to “rest from painting”. In the 1880s, as his career progressed, his introspection led to the creation of poignant Self Portraits.
Our Self Portrait, drawn in the late 1880s, is impactful and evocative. Set against a neutral, empty background, his portrayal stands out with astonishing energy. As Léon de Fourcaud wrote, “by the force of his execution [...] Théodule Ribot compels you to look at what he shows you, to endure his point of view, to feel what he felt [...]”. Ultimately, our Self Portrait has “the character of an apparition of real things at their supreme power”.