Simon Bening: Self-portrait (1558)

(Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA)

A painting made by the Flemish artist Simon Bening 1483 – 1561). Simon Bening (1483 – 1561) was the son of Alexander Bening and his wife Kathelijn van der Goes. Simon Bening was a miniaturist who specialised in books of hours, especially for German nobility such as Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg and holy roman emperor Charles V. The text at the bottom of this painting reads "Simon Bennik. Alexandri. [F]ilius Se Ipsu. Pi[n]gebat. Ano. Aetatis. 75. 1558." ("Simon Bennik, the son of Alexander, painted this himself at the age of 75 in 1558").