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, 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
Copied 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
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
Mediums Description
gold, sterling silver, cloisonné enamel, opal, pearl, coral, shell, carapace
Classifications
Subjects
  • Portrait male — Harper, William — self-portrait
  • Portrait male — Harper, William — full length
  • Occupation — religion — clergy
  • Occupation — art — artist
  • Dress — accessory — hat
  • Abstract
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.