Self-Portrait of the Artist as a Haruspex

William Harper, Self-Portrait of the Artist as a Haruspex, 1990, gold, sterling silver, cloisonné enamel, opal, pearl, coral, shell, carapace, 11 ¹⁄₂ x 2 ¹⁄₂ x 2 ¹⁄₄ in. (29.2 x 6.4 x 5.8 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the James Renwick Alliance and museum purchase through the Smithsonian Institution Collections Acquisition Program, 1991.137, © 1990, William Harper

Artwork Details

Title: Self-Portrait of the Artist as a Haruspex
Artist: William Harper
Date: 1990
Location: Not on view
Dimensions: 11 ¹⁄₂ x 2 ¹⁄₂ x 2 ¹⁄₄ in. (29.2 x 6.4 x 5.8 cm.)
Copyright: © 1990, William Harper
Credit Line: Gift of the James Renwick Alliance and museum purchase through the Smithsonian Institution Collections Acquisition Program
Mediums: pearl
gold
coral
enamel
silver
opal
shell
Mediums Description: gold, sterling silver, cloisonné enamel, opal, pearl, coral, shell, carapace
Classifications: Decorative Arts
Subjects: Abstract
Dress — accessory — hat
Occupation — art — artist
Occupation — religion — clergy
Portrait male — Harper, William — full length
Portrait male — Harper, William — self-portrait
Object Number: 1991.137
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1991.137

Artwork Description

A haruspex was a diviner or soothsayer in ancient Rome who "read" the future from the entrails of sacrificial animals. In Self-Portrait the shape of the inlaid coral spills out like entrails, while the features of the cloisonne face symbolize the artist's condition. The blackened left eye represents William Harper's blindness, and the protrusion from the forehead (the "carapace," or protective covering) is a metaphorical shield from his painful migraines. This is one of a series of self-portraits showing Harper as a mystic from different cultures.