Anthony van Dyck self portrait (Metropolitan Museum of Art) Anthony van Dyck self portrait (Metropolitan Museum of Art) The Metropolitan Museum of Art possesses in its collection a self portrait painted by Flemish artist Anthony van Dyck. Done in oil on canvas, the work depicts its creator during his early twenties. The self portrait was likely painted by van Dyck during the winter of 1620-1621, which the artist spent in London. van Dyck chose to render a depiction of himself as a country gentlemen dressed in fine clothes; he likely acquired these clothes due to his father being a wealthy clothier. The painting was donated to the Met by
William V. B. Van Dyck in Schenectady, New York. He retired from General Electric in 1945. In 1901, Van Dyck married his second cousin, Frances Reynolds Johnson, who was at that time a well known actress under the stage name "Fanny Johnson." She had recently appeared in the leading role in the popular musical comedy, ""Florodora"." In September 1969, Van Dyck returned to Rutgers as "the oldest living Scarlet Knight" for a celebration of 100th anniversary of the first college football game, played by Rutgers in 1869. At the time, Van Dyck told a reporter, "Drop kicking was the great thing in those days. We