• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.50
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• pp.283-311
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• 2018

The Russian poet A. C. Pushkin left more than a hundred self-portraits in his lifetime. These self-portraits are the subject of a special research project. Pushkin liked to sketch himself disguised in various shapes in his manuscripts. Besides Pushkin, many authors have portrayed themselves, but in terms of their quantity and fame, it is difficult to find self-portraits that transcended those which are as detailed and revealing as that of Pushkin's. Focusing on this point, this paper first examines the position of the poet's self-portraits in the context of the tradition of the self-portrait, as a painting genre full of romanticism as manifested and revealed in the 19th century. Subsequently, this article explains the meaning of the Pushkin's typical self-portraits in profile, which were mostly drawn in his manuscripts. Finally, in order to explore the philosophical implications contained in this poet's self-portraits, this paper attempts to read poet's self-portrait in comparison with Rembrandt's self-portrait, and Montaigne's Essais as well for a comprehensive comparison of the three entities.