The composition features a bust length portrait of a youthful, humbly dressed Gillis van Tilborgh II hunched before an easel in his studio. Tilborgh’s gaze is directed past the viewer, observing himself in a mirror. In his right hand he holds his painter’s palette, and a paint brush, mid-stroke, in his left. His plump mouth slightly pursed in concentration, eyebrows are slightly raised, and his eyes are wide and focused as he studies his features.
This painting shares many technical attributes with a style of Dutch painting popular during the time called low-life genre painting. Typical with low-life genre techniques, the paint strokes are quick and unrefined and the color palette consists of dark, earthy tones. The figure’s plain clothes and meager surroundings are also elements of the low-life genre style.  During this point in his career, we know that Tilborgh II mainly worked in this style based on the few paintings we know from those years. Unfortunately, not much more is known of Tilborgh II’s early works. In fact, this particular painting was attributed to two other artists before discovering Tilborgh II as the true artist. It is fitting that a young Gillis van Tilborgh would paint his self-portrait in the popular low-life genre style as a way of displaying his abilities as a painter.

Annotated Bibliography: http://smalltreasures.as.ua.edu/?p=590

By Lena Thrasher