Self-Portrait with Sowing New Seed – Orpen Print

In 1913 Orpen painted himself standing before his own canvas — furrowed brow, black cap, brushes in hand, staring out with the expression of a man who has something to say.

The painting behind him is Sowing New Seed, his satirical allegory attacking the Irish Board of Agriculture for pouring money into farming while starving Irish art of funding. The nude female figure sows new ideas. The naked children are the progeny of intellectual enlightenment. The peasant couple on the right represents the Board's backward attitude to culture. Orpen was furious, and this is what furious looked like on him — contained, precise, unsmiling.

It is one of the great self-portraits in Irish art. Not a painter at his easel, not a man in costume — just Orpen, standing in front of the thing he believed in, daring you to disagree.

The original hangs in the Saint Louis Art Museum, Missouri. This archival print is made on heavyweight fine art paper with fade-resistant inks, built to last.

Sizes & Format

• 30 × 40 cm / 12 × 16″
• 60 × 80 cm / 24 × 32″
• 75 × 100 cm / 30 × 40″
• Available framed (black, white, wood) or unframed

Delivered in 2–5 business days.

Print & Frame Details

Archival matte paper, 250gsm (110lb), acid-free and FSC-certified — off-white, uncoated. Framed prints: solid oak or ash wood frame, 20mm thick, with shatterproof protective glazing. Ready to hang, hanging kit included. Unframed prints up to A4 ship flat; larger sizes ship rolled in a protective tube.

Free Worldwide Shipping

Framed prints are packed with protective corners and wrap, boxed with reinforced edges, and braced with internal supports for extra rigidity (max 3 frames per package). Every order ships free, made to order and delivered from the hub closest to you: Ireland 3–7 business days · UK 4–8 · USA 5–10 · Canada 6–12 · Australia 7–14.