The first publication to focus on self-portraits and other images of the artist from within the Royal Collection, Portrait of the Artist showcases self-portraits of world-renowned artists from Rembrandt to Hockney, and features images of artists by their friends, relatives and pupils, including the most reliable surviving likeness of Leonardo da Vinci by his student, Francesco Melzi.

It examines a range of themes played out within these works, from the cult of the artist to the symbolism evoked through images of the artist’s studio, and looks at the role of the monarch in commissioning, collecting and displaying portraits. Also explored is the changing status of the artist and how this is portrayed both in the physical works and in the relationship between artist and patron.

This sumptuously illustrated book contains a fascinating array of paintings, works on paper, photographs and decorative arts by artists including Rubens, Gentileschi, Dürer, Reynolds and Freud.