there are portraits and there a kama sutra paintings... of oneself... in the home.

I say, if you have a lovely painting of yourself as a child, hang it wherever you damned well please.

I was frankly surprised at the uproar over Padma's various portraits of herself. It seemed a bit prudish.

i find them really tricky... the only artsy photo i have of myself in my home is only 8x10 & taken from the back so my face is not visible... it's in my bathroom and highlights my (then) long dreds more than anything.. most folks probably don't even know it's me is my guess... i don't think i could justify anything more readable, per say, for myself & my home... padma's ptg is a lil over the top for my taste, but a fun ptg nonetheless.

maybe you guys should look up the definition of "self portrait"?

One is fine, but a gallery (including wedding portraits) is too much. I also think it would be cool if it were mixed with other pictures in a sort of gallery wall arrangement.

Where else would you put kama sutra portraits of yourself, but in your home?

I think if she had the same number of pictures everywhere, but they included children or a husband, people would be gaga over them. But since it's just her, she's a narcissist.

Why not hang it in an infrequently-used bathroom (if you have one)? In England, lots of people hang what we call "brag wall" stuff (awards, diplomas, photos of themselves with celebrities) in the downstairs bathroom, to sort of make a joke about their accomplishments - "taking the piss out of it", if you will.

I have a small pen-and-ink portrait of myself in my bedroom, mixed in with other artwork, so it happens to not be terribly obvious, but I don't care how it looks to anyone else. Incidentally, since it's a childhood portrait, visitors to your home might not necessarily realize it's you (unless they knew you back then).

Frankly, if Warhol did your portrait, you could be forgiven for showing it off. If you fancy yourself important enough to warrant one, a portrait hung in an office or library is not beyond the pale. If you have a Stately Home, which contains an oil painting gallery of Very Impressive Ancestors, then add yourself to the mix. But a cheesy painting of self over your bed is too narcissistic. It's tacky.

True, antimatt, the term "self portrait" was misused in this posting. But I've already chided an AT blogger within the last 24 hours, so I was going to let it slide, but...

Sure I would of wanted Frida Kahlo to do mine.

I didn't realize that other people hang pictures of themselves in the bathroom! I have three screenprints of myself that I made in high school hanging in my bathroom, but I think of it more as cool artwork rather than glorifying myself.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lmcwethy/3075236530/in/set-72157610613398380/

I think displaying a portrait of yourself (different than a self-portrait, though I think the general idea came across... no harm meant, Gregory!) in your home is just fine... I mean, it is YOUR home. But if you feel slightly narcissistic about it, you should probably put it in an inherently narcissistic room, like your bedroom or your bathroom (not the guest bed/bath room, that might be borderline creepy).
But a painting of yourself a child is a little different... guests in your home may not immediately recognize that it's you as a child, so while it may seem narcissistic to you, others probably won't notice.

The portrait above her bed is gorgeous. Also, it's not simply "by a friend." It was painted by Francesco Clemente! A very important contemporary artist. If i were lucky enough to be both the inspiration and recipient of one of his pieces, i wouldn't hesitate to display it proudly.

This is bizarre timing. I recently had an Intimate Portrait done up by a local painter, so that I could do a write-up of it. What else could I do but frame it and hang it? It was a $1,000 painting!

But it does feel odd, in a way.

Still, where else would one purport to do with a nicely done painting of oneself?

When my grandmother died, I acquired a large, framed photograph of myself, taken at age 3. Not having much to hang on my walls at that time, I hung it, in my bedroom. My mother told me it was (not in so many words) narcissistic. I took that as more of the same from her. Now, in a different home, it is in the bedroom hallway with many other family photographs. What else should I do with it; trash it? It reminds me of my grandmother, for she made the white dotted swiss dress I wear in it, with red velvet ribbon trim.

My best friend has done a couple of portraits of me over the years, the latest being a rather large pastel. It's hung in my bedroom; what else am I going to do with it? Only she and I know it's me; it doesn't show my face. I'm proud of her art ability, and I look pretty darn good, if I do say so.

There's a big difference between being a narcissist and being proud of yourself.

Interesting opinions! The painting is quite recognizable as me. Guess I haven't changed that much in the last 25 years. ;) I thought about hanging it in my personal bathroom but was concerned about humidity. It's an oil on canvas, 18x24. Maybe I'll try the gallery-style idea and gauge reactions. If I had a super-deluxe dressing room I'd hang it in there!

I remember seeing a giant portrait of George Hamilton hung above a staircase in his house - definitely not by Francesco Clemente!

I have a self-portrait hanging in my hallway. My husband (who is not much of an artist) did a really great abstract pencil sketch of me, and I enlarged it on canvas and painted it in bright colors. I drew and painted a portrait of him in the exact same style.

The two paintings are framed and hung together - his up high and mine below (because he's a foot taller than me).

And I love having them because it's a product of work we did together.

It never really occurred to me that they were vain, especially since they're hung in the same space as a painting of our pug as Napoleon.

My grandmother had beautiful paintings of herself and each of her children hanging prominently in her living room. Her entire house was covered with pictures, drawings, etc. of her family. Perhaps my family is narcissistic, but I loved it. It felt like home.

I paint, and I painted a nude of myself since I did not want to go through the trouble of asking someone else to pose nude for me, so I just painted myself. Currently, its not up, but I might put it up, its rather abstract anyway, I think if it was realistic I would not think of putting it up. Now if it was painted by a known and great artist whether it was nude or not yes, it would be hanging, and I would love it.

I have a lot of my own original art up which I felt weird at first about hanging (not OF me, just BY me) but its my art and my home and when I find other pieces from other people I like I will put those up, and if someone wants to take my paintings, they can. I cant afford $1000 paintings yet and I WILL NEVER EVER EVER put up manufactured art EVER, only original paintings or prints.

a friend of mine did a mega giant painting of me... i never knew where to put it... but then, i found the perfect spot. i have a walk0in closet, and most everything in it is pink. it just so happens, the painting is mainly pink-tones (since he knows pink is my favorite color). so the painting went in there. no one goes into my closet but me, and when i see it, i think of my friend.

I think it really depends on the style of the portrait, how you're depicted, and when it was commissioned. if it's slightly abstracted, like padma's, I think it's easier to blend in with decor (depending on your style, of course), and not quite as in your face that it's you. I see no problem with a childhood portrait-- it's a nice memory. very formal oils, on the other hand, will often look out of place and draw too much negative attention to themselves. also, if you just had it done (especially if it's very realistic) it might be odd for guests to see a clone of you on the wall. or if it's *too* flattering-- then you look vain. but I vote 'no' on the bathroom. to me it conveys the sentiment that you want to appear humble but still really want the painting to be seen.

I don't get the negative reaction about padma's portrait. is it because you can see her legs and the shadow of her nipples, (what? women have nipples?!)? it's consistent with the style of the artist and is hardly 'kama sutra'.

on a related note: my mom's parents had portraits of their three children commissioned back in the day. they hung in my grandfather's office until he died and then the children took them. my mom absolutely hates hers (she was about 15 at the time- hardly her most graceful age), and thus it hangs on the wall of our attic in a rather creepy reverse-dorian gray style... (but it will be nice to pass on to future generations, long after the digital photos have been deleted).

Yeah, I was slightly disturbed by this as well. Especially because it's situated right over her bed. Like, ooooh I dream of myself at night. Ick

Christinalouise, I love what you and your husband have done. Very special.

I think it does portrays a sort of narcissism when an obvious, large portrait of yourself is displayed in the main living areas. And an enormous portrait of yourself above your bed sort of begs the question, 'Who, exactly, are you sleeping with'? Question answered!

Sassyladie your self portraits are really cool, good that you kept those.

I think portraits by artist friends are fine.

It's family photos on display that I can't stand.

msjessiemeghan, I am also an artist and it took me a while to start hanging my own work in my house. None of my friends could understand why. I guess it does feel narcissistic to me, or rather, I'm just afraid it will be narcissistic.

I have a portrait of myself on a side wall of the living room that was painted by my good friend, a professional artist. I do feel a bit weird about looking at a picture of me when I'm sitting on the couch... but it's not right in your face, and when I look over at it I honestly just think about how great of an artist my friend is, and remember how she was challenging herself with portrait painting at the time.

I also have a SELF-portrait that I do not have the nerve to hang. It is large and I already have my friend's portrait on the wall.

I don't think I would ever hang a portrait of myself as big and in-your-face as Padma Lakshmi's... but I would also never choose bright pink walls!

This was just in the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/19/garden/19portrait.html

I think that if you like it you should do it. Forget what anyone else thinks. If you're a narcissist you'll be one with or without a giant portrait and a giant portrait does not make you one on its own.

I agree with Lisa Hunter (once again :-) ).

If there is a place to put a picture of oneself it is in the bedroom, you're not supposed to invite guests (at least non intimate ones for for long periods of time...) in the bedroom.
If you put it in a reception area like the living or dining room where people have it under their nose all the time, it's better when its good piece of art in itself.

I have a friend who had his portrait done in the 1970s by a famous french artist of the time, it doesn't show any narcissism to me as a guest, he himself having been an artist at the same time. It is like a cherished relic of his own history. On the other hand he had to tell me it was him...
I did the portrait of a very close friend a few years ago in collage and acrylics, I was surprised one day to see she had it still hanging in her bedroom: she has to be the least narcissic person I know. I was actually touched to see she still had it under her view every day.
I wouldn't mind having my self portraits (in photography) hung permanently (although it isn't the case) if I found them good enough, but they wouldn't be in a very obvious spot like above the fireplace or in front of the entrance.

... of course if your "great art" portrait is done by Chuck Close it might be difficult to put it in a "less obvious" location... :-)

We have a painting of my husband from a friend of his in art school. It is a beautiful rendering and I can't help but put it up with our family photos. If someone did a portrait of me (and I liked it) I'd put it up there too

why do people care so much about what others think of their home decor? it's your home and i assume you're the one paying the rent/mortgage, so hang the damned thing up and be done with it. screw 'em if 'they' don't like it.

people need to get over themselves.

by the way, i have two semi-nudes of myself on my wall. a nice reminder of what i looked like when i was buff. and yes, my parents have been over and have seen them. as have anyone else who's been in my home.

If you look like Padma, I say definitely! The more the merrier. I might even go with some Padma wallpaper (if possible).

If you look like me, however, meh, not so much.

Perspective.

P.S. I might even want a Padma portrait for my own place. Online store URL please? :)

That's so sad that some people are so concerned with their houses looking like designers models that they don't want to show family photos- I love having reminders of all the people I love and the fun things we've done around my home.

I also have two 'intimate portraits' of myself hung in my home (taken by a photography student as a project), as well as a painting done by a good friend from a polaroid taken at a party. I'm honored to hang the portrait in my living room -- it's fun and unconventional and works with my decor. The photos are hung in the bedroom and only those who are intimate with me get to see them.

When I'm 80 (hell, now that I'm 40) I want to remember that I was once 115 pounds, smooth and rosey skinned, and had nary a grey hair.

Until someone else starts paying my rent for me, I'll hang whatever I want, where ever I want in my own home, thanks.

If I like it, I display it.

Besides, if I can have a mirror in every room in my home and not be criticized as "being narcissistic", then why not a self portrait?

I have an 18x20 black and white photo of myself hanging in my living room. My sister snapped the photo from the passenger seat of my car while I was driving. I love this photo, not necessarily because I'm in it, but because of the apparent movement in the picture. I have another large black and white print on an adjacent wall by Chris Steele-Perkins (South Africa, 1981). I'm sure that some will think I am vain for hanging it, but those who know me well know that is not the case.

Besides, it's my house and I will do what I please.

I have actually been struggling with this exact topic. 1 1/2 ago I got married and a close friend of mine who is an artist gave us a portrait she painted of me as a gift. It is very cool - not traditional at all, tasteful and HUGE (4'X5'). Right now it is behind the upright piano at my Mother's home in CT. I just don't think I can look right into my eyes everyday. Maybe it's a self esteem issue I am having!! I do love it though and want to honor her amazing gift. I also think it would be kind of strange for my Mother to hang it at her place. We shall see.

My friend, a photographer took a photo of me (from the back) looking out over LA from the Mullholland overlook when I first moved here. It was my first time seeing the city and the photo documents that. He printed and framed it for me as a Christmas present and I have it hanging in the hallway to the bedroom. It's usually behind a door when its open and it may be a little odd to have a picture of myself on the wall but I really like it. I also have my ORK Los Angeles poster hanging in the same space so it's become my homage to the city that I live in.

Here it is
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/54/133938827_0dea8b1e45_o.jpg

My mom commissioned portraits painted of my sister and myself for our college graduation gifts. Then she said we should hang them in our apartment... no, thanks! Maybe in 20-30 years when I'd like to wax nostalgic about how hot I once was, ha. For now, they're hanging in our mom's den.

Ya know, i'm not going to lie, i'm totally down with the notion of people putting beautiful photographs/paintings/sketches/renderings of themselves in the house.

With that having been said, wedding photos belong in scrapbooks and photo albums on shelves (not the coffee table!), pictures of your kids doing "kid" things everywhere I could totally do with out, but if you have a nice piece of art you would like ot display, more power to you.

Maybe my perspective comes from having grown up with a photographer as a mother, but my brother and I were her most frequent subjects. There were pictures of us everywhere. My mother may take it over the top - I certainly don't need to see my eighth grade graduation picture every time I try to get a soda, but ya know.

In truth, I find it way more indicative of mental illness to have pictures of total strangers in my house than I do to have pictures of myself. The concept of buying a portrait of a stranger and hanging it on my wall weirds me out majorly...like almost as weird as leaving the picture that came in the frame...in the frame.

My grandfather has a sketch that was done of me when I was about two. It's a basic head and shoulders shot in a frilly little dress and it's been hanging over his bed for as long as I can remember. I suspect, at some point, it will come into my posession and, when it does, i'll hang it. It's about two feet tall, but I'll probably put it, slightly off center on a wall, surrounded by other art pieces in other mediums (photos, vector prints, paintings and maybe even a Clyde Keller) to detract some of the attention from it, but there it will hang because it will always remind me of him.

Go for it.

I had a friend in highschool who had pictures of herself, like 8X10 glossies, alllll over her home. additionally, she had these crazy birds that would absolutely screeeeech her name throughout the entire house...it was terrifying but hilarious.

no family pictures? really?

i am not one for "staged" pictures... but i have a few of my kids that i love. we have spent hours driving our sons into town to go to the skatepark. (we have brick streets and no sidewalks in baldwin). i snapped some great shots of the boys on the ramps and printed them in sepia. they are really nice, but small - all just 5x7. i have them hanging on the wall going up the stairway.

if anyone were ever annoyed by a few pictures of my kids hanging around, i'd have to say they must not have kids themselves.

i am proud of my kids and like to have a few candid shots around. :)

As with so many issues having to do with the home, scale is everything.

A small, framed portrait of yourself or you and your family sitting on the mantle is an entirely different matter than a massive poster sized portrait hanging over the mantle. The only exception would be if the picture in question was produced by someone of some accomplishment, or was otherwise notable for something other than the subject (in this case, Padma).

i think photographs of friends and family are what make a home a home. mix it in with the rest of the art.

I think it's much more important what the portrait means to you than what it is of.
If I had a life-sized head shot from my highschool yearbook that might seem odd.
But if I loved it photo I or someone else took of me. Or if a friend slaved over a painting for hours and gave it to me with HECK YEAH I would hang it up. That's awesome!

I used to paint often so I had a bunch of self-portraits around the house.

Wow, i'm surprised at these comments. Padma's friend is a world-famous artist. he had a retrospective at the GUGGENHEIM in 2000...that's a really big deal. It would have been an honor for Clemente to ask her to sit for a painting. Someone said it would be okay if it's a Warhol - huh? Warhol is more commercial and mainstream, but in the art world, Clemente is just as big of a deal.

She's very lucky to keep such good company, and very lucky to have a Clemente piece in her home. I would be beyond proud to have something similar.

I'd prefer not to have a portrait of myself around...I would rather hang pictures of loved ones up.

Miss Manners says: "You asked Miss Manners about displaying "likenesses," but the traditional rule made a finicky distinction between paintings, which can be displayed in the public rooms, and photographs, which belong in the private ones. Artistic photographers are welcome to object."
Column 2008/06/17

I have two pictures of myself on either side of my bed, on a trip to snow country when I was about 3 years old, one with my mother and the other with my father. Since I'm single, I don't have to worry about what a partner would think, so there they are and they remind me of being tucked into bed by my folks when I was a child. Narcissistic? Don't think so, I just find them comforting, it reminds me before I go to sleep at night to be grateful for having had them (both gone now). Padma, I think, could display the picture in a hallway rather than above her bed... it seems a little odd to have an image of herself THAT large above her bed... but the ultimate award for narcissism must go to the TV personality Star Jones. She did a tour of her home, on some show, and there were multiple modern-day photographic images of herself framed in THE most public areas of her home. YIKES.

Just went back and looked at the article... that's HER as the backdrop on the computer too! ICK.

I think the painting of Padma is gorgeous but when it comes to Feng Shui and attracting a relationship it's a bad idea. If you're looking for a partner and you believe in Feng Shui and the Law of Attraction, you should keep artwork and photos where you appear solo out of your home. It makes the statement that you're fine being alone. If you are cool with being single then have at it but that's just what the practice suggests. And no, I'm not smoking a bong right now.

Wow - people have some really extreme views. To the people who are not comfortable with family pictures - do you entertain ALL the time? I'm genuinely curious - where is the line between your home being what makes you comfortable and what you want to display to the people you invite in?
Personally, I've always felt that a home exists for the comfort and joy of those who lives in it, whether that is a family or a single person. Most people don't bat an eyelash at family portraits, but still have a problem with pictures of singles. It doesn't seem like it's any more vain to display and celebrate yourself, if you are alone, than to display and celebrate the multiple inhabitants of a home together.

If a person is narcissistic, they are narcissistic even if they don't hang any portraits of themselves in the home. If they're selfless, or whatever is the opposite of narcissistic, they'll be that way even if their home is filled with their picture. It has so much to do with the people involved, and the presentation of the portraits...

If you look like Padma, you should hang as many pictures of yourself as you want. You might just have to get used to the petty little jealous ones looking for a reason to diss you and call you names. If words hurt, cry on your way to the bank! But, for God's sake, please don't let your mascara run...

I've been thinking about this issue because I have an oil painting of me that a former boyfriend's mother did. She used it to secure other portrait commissions and when she died a few years ago, I asked the ex-bf to give it to me. It's 20 years old and looking so cool and retro. I've been wondering if I should hang it, and if I'll get tired of it, etc. I've pretty much decided to display it once I bring it to CA from my parents' house on the east coast.

I couldn't care less if someone declares that it's narcissistic. My home is about pleasing myself.

I think a portrait of one as a child is different than a current portrait (especially a five-by-ten feet one:)). So farmhousemoderne, I say go ahead and hang it up. My friend has one of her as a child in her room in her parents' house, it looks charming and is a conversation piece.

It's your home for goodness sakes - why can't you have pictures of the ones you love out? It is not like it's actually a test. Now I don't have a photo of family in every single free spot - but yes, I have probably a dozen photos of mine and the fiance's family spread across the apartment. They are people I love and would invite into my home - if I walked into someone's place, I'd feel unwelcome by the no photos rule.

I say why not.

If your putting it in the bedroom all bets are off. Only you and a significant other is going to see it and will no doubt appreciate it.

It would be kinda awkward to have a large portrait of yourself in say the living room.

I keep looking at these portraits and expecting them to be in a house of an older set of parents and the portraits being of their children. It just seems vain to have such huge pictures of yourself around...if I want to see myself, I'll look in a mirror - LOL.

How about a different kind of portrait? Apartment Therapy has written about us in the past - we actually make portraits from your DNA or fingerprints- a little less obvious and more modern. http://www.dna11.com

Love to hear what you think.

--Adrian

I like the idea of having painted portraits in the home. It makes especial sense if you are an artist or have artist friends. That said, if ALL the art in your home consists of portraits of yourself, it is too much. I think that deciding how many depends on how much art you keep in the first place. If you have multiple paintings on every wall, you could have plenty of portraits, but if you only have 1 or two other pieces, 3 large portraits (outside the bedroom or walk in closet if you have a dream home) is too much.

So it's "kama sutra" because she's of Indian descent? Why? What, if anything do you know about the kama sutra, "Lady" J? What an ignorant and offensive comment.

Taking one element of a person's culture and then inaccurately and inappropriately applying it to some other random instance relating to that culture is far tackier than any painting PL has in her home. A tiny bit of knowledge is a dangerous, and annoying thing.