Ready to Start Self-Portrait - William Orpen
Archival giclée
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Description
A self-portrait by William Orpen, painted in 1917 while serving as an official war artist in France, featuring the artist reflected in a mirror.
William Orpen produced this self-portrait while serving as an official war artist during the First World War. The composition is structured around a mirror reflection, a device that allows the artist to present himself in military attire while simultaneously showing the domestic environment of his quarters. Orpen wears a Brodie helmet and a heavy fur-lined coat, items that contrast with the mundane objects arranged on the table in the foreground. These objects, including bottles, a glass, and a box of matches, are rendered with a direct, observational clarity that grounds the scene in a specific moment of time. The background features a patterned wallpaper, which adds a decorative element to the interior space. Through the window on the left, one observes the exterior architecture of a French town, providing a sense of place and context for the artist's wartime experience. The lighting is controlled, focusing attention on the reflection in the mirror, where Orpen's gaze meets the viewer. His expression is direct, conveying a sense of professional detachment and observation. The colour palette is composed of muted greens, browns, and whites, punctuated by the purple floral pattern of the wallpaper and the red-and-white checked tablecloth. Orpen was known for his technical proficiency and his ability to capture the psychological state of his subjects. In this work, the juxtaposition of the soldier's uniform with the quiet, still-life arrangement on the table creates a tension between the reality of the conflict and the personal life of the artist. The painting provides a record of the conditions under which Orpen worked during his time in France. It is a document of his experience, capturing the atmosphere of his surroundings with precision and a measured, objective approach to his own image.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Ready to Start Self-Portrait - William Orpen
Artist Biography
William Orpen
During the First World War he was sent to the Western Front as an official war artist for the British government. He was the most prolific of the war artists, producing 138 works: drawings and paintings of soldiers, dead men, German prisoners, ruined trenches, and the blank exhaustion that photographs of the period cannot quite capture. He donated all 138 to the British government. They are now in the Imperial War Museum.
After the war he painted The Signing of the Peace Treaty at Versailles, which should have been the capstone of his career. Instead it became a controversy. He also painted To the Unknown British Soldier in France, a composition that originally included ghostly military figures alongside a flag-draped coffin. The Imperial War Museum refused to accept it until he removed the figures in 1927.
He never fully recovered from the physical and mental effects of the war. He continued to paint society portraits at extraordinary prices (over 50,000 pounds a year by 1929), but those who knew him said something had changed.
He was Irish, from Stillorgan in County Dublin, a fact that became complicated as the independence movement gathered force during and after the war. He accepted a knighthood from the British crown. He died in 1931, aged fifty-two, and faded to near-total obscurity until 2001, when a portrait sold at Sotheby's for nearly two million pounds.
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Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
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Artist Biography
William Orpen
During the First World War he was sent to the Western Front as an official war artist for the British government. He was the most prolific of the war artists, producing 138 works: drawings and paintings of soldiers, dead men, German prisoners, ruined trenches, and the blank exhaustion that photographs of the period cannot quite capture. He donated all 138 to the British government. They are now in the Imperial War Museum.
After the war he painted The Signing of the Peace Treaty at Versailles, which should have been the capstone of his career. Instead it became a controversy. He also painted To the Unknown British Soldier in France, a composition that originally included ghostly military figures alongside a flag-draped coffin. The Imperial War Museum refused to accept it until he removed the figures in 1927.
He never fully recovered from the physical and mental effects of the war. He continued to paint society portraits at extraordinary prices (over 50,000 pounds a year by 1929), but those who knew him said something had changed.
He was Irish, from Stillorgan in County Dublin, a fact that became complicated as the independence movement gathered force during and after the war. He accepted a knighthood from the British crown. He died in 1931, aged fifty-two, and faded to near-total obscurity until 2001, when a portrait sold at Sotheby's for nearly two million pounds.
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