Nora Heysen: Self portrait

This self-portrait reflects the optimism that fuelled Nora Heysen in her early career, as she attained popularity and critical success. In it, she paints herself as a modern woman, committed to her art and painting in a light-filled modern idiom; gone are the early influences of Italian Renaissance art and classicism.

Soon after painting this work, Heysen moved away from Adelaide and the long shadow cast by her father, the famous artist Hans Heysen. She quickly established herself in Sydney as a notable portrait painter and later in 1938 won the Archibald Prize with a portrait of Madame Elink Schuurman. Heysen's work caused controversy: commentators questioned both the choice of subject – the wife of a European diplomat – and the role of women as professional artists; Heysen was the first woman and youngest artist to be awarded the Archibald.

Nora Heysen's self-portraits are striking images of independence and determination. This painting is one of her finest and was considered by the artist herself to be emblematic of her achievements.