Self portrait with goose feathers 1989 William Robinson {Self portrait with goose feathers Oil on canvas 138 x 198cm Private Collection Full screen In self portraits, artists create not only paintings but also a sense of their own identity. Artists have often portrayed themselves in the studio, holding paintbrushes and expressing character through their occupation and skill. Robinson, in contrast, presents himself encircled by the indefinite and transient – reflections and clouds. He holds fast to a pair of feathers as material reality seems to become a husk which encloses identity, like the empty chaff bag covering his head. Back to Self Portraits | Next painting Print friendly version