Albert Dürer’s self-portrait from 1500 & Rembrandt’s self-portrait from 1660.

The two portraits are quite similar, both European, both painted by male artists who were in a mature stage of their careers, and both sharing a dark brown color palette. Yet the two feel quite different.

I distinctly remember looking at Dürer’s portrait and being shocked at the artist’s audacity. The portrait strikingly resembles early images of Christ. The full-frontal view of the subject placed squarely in the middle of the canvas, the directness of his gaze, the hair falling down either sides of his face, and the raised hand as if in a gesture of blessing all recall Christian images.

Rembrandt’s portrait gives off quite a different aura. Standing at an angle to the viewer, the Dutch master is unmistakably human, and an unimpressive one at that. The wrinkles in his face as well as his balding forehead remind us of his age and fragility. The wide eyes, furrowed brow and the tightly closed lips form a somewhat apologetic expression. With the left side of his face half-hidden in shadows, the artist looks sheepish and reluctant to be portrayed.

I was a fan of epic fantasies growing up. Books like Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia sparked my imagination. Dürer’s portrait look as if it could be an illustration from one of these epic sagas. Stern, dignified, and regal, he looks like a king of man from the olden days. The gold inscriptions on either side of his face reinforce this heroic imagery. Those who would have seen the movie The Hobbit would instantly recognize the similarity between the self-portrait and Thorin Oaskenshield, the haughty Dwarf lord.

In contrast, Rembrandt’s portrait stuck out to me because of its distinct unimpressiveness. It seems strange that such a celebrated genius would portray himself in such a humble way. Heroes and legends are made through omissions of basic human conditions. When reading epic sagas, no wants to think about our heroes going to bathrooms or suffering from rheumatism. However, Rembrandt does not shy away from such conditions in his portrait—not even the fact that he is balding. The portrait reminds of photos of my grandparents. Compared to Dürer’s proud self-homage these images are neither attractive nor remarkable. However, they warm the heart. They are the kind of portraits I want to hang in my room.