This full-length self-portrait of Australian artist Hugh Ramsay is a slim 102cm x 63 cm oil on canvas with a plain 12cm wide gold frame.
The overall impression is of the artist as a young man in a dark studio space. Ramsay’s body is in profile, he turns to his left, his head facing us. His face and shoulder are brightly illuminated from the right, otherwise the interior is painted indistinct dull browns, beige, greys, and black. In comparison, the texture of the canvas surface varies. Some areas appear speedily painted with thick brushwork and thin streaks of lumpy red and gold, contrasting with the blended flesh tones in the artist’s face.
On the left, behind Ramsay, a beige coloured floor rises steeply to meet stacked, stretched canvas’ leaning against the studio wall. Some are tall and rectangular, there are two, smaller, gold-framed paintings leaning back to back. The scene on the foremost canvas is too dark to read.
In the lower left corner, two identical, small angular shapes project in from the edge of the painting suggesting the wooden feet of a studio easel. A kidney shaped artist’s palette sits on a brown, thinly spoked four-legged stool, it reaches Ramsay’s thigh.
Ramsay’s head is almond shaped. His short, wavy brown hair lies flat on the top of his head, parted in the middle, cut cleanly above his ears. Beige and pink skin tones on the left side of his face contrast with his dark and featureless right side. He has a high and furrowed forehead, his deep-set left eye gazes forward, the shadow line of his long straight nose runs down to his closed mouth.
His jaw is long and pointed; jutting over his high, white shirt collar. The collar is stiff but the shirt, tucked into his trousers, is loose. A lightly knotted black tie delineates the curved profile of his chest and stomach. The generous shirtsleeve of his left arm is folded back above his forearm. His left hand holds a paintbrush and a small grey cloth, relaxed, wrist facing up. Ramsay stands with his legs apart; his right leg supports his weight while at a step distance in front; his left leg is slightly bent at the knee.
The artist wears plus four trousers which are high waisted, black and baggy, finishing beneath his knees. Long, black socks define his calves and merge into slim black shoes. His feet are splayed, at 90-degree angle to one another; the left foot is in profile and behind one of the stool legs, his right foot is facing the easel the artist is working on.
Audio description written by Annette Twyman and voiced by Emma Bedford
