Self-Portrait at Home
During his career Oumar Ka produced dozens of carefully composed self-portraits. Here, he has lowered his glasses and placed a pen in his pocket, and wears a hat that identifies him as a Sufi follower of the Senegalese Saint Amadou Bamba. As in most of his portraits, Ka articulates his persona through his surroundings. We can see the internal architecture of the thatch-roof house, the wardrobe, and dozens of portraits hanging behind him. Printed in multiple copies, Ka gave his self-portraits as gifts to his best customers as a conscious marketing strategy to please and reward his clientele. This portrait presents Ka as a professional photographer, conscious of his art, strategic about his business, and aware of his image.
Artwork Details
- Title: Self-Portrait at Home
- Artist: Oumar Ka (Senegalese, 1930–2020 Touba, Senegal)
- Date: 1959–1968
- Medium: Film, emulsion
- Dimensions: 2 1/4 × 2 1/4 in. (5.7 × 5.7 cm)
- Classifications: Negatives, Photographs
- Credit Line: Funds from various donors, 2015
- Object Number: N.A.2015.10
- Rights and Reproduction: © Oumar Ka Family Estate
- Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Oumar Ka
1959–1968
Oumar Ka
1959–1968
Oumar Ka
1959–1968
Oumar Ka
1959–1968
Salla Casset
1960s
Related Content
Publications
Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.
Free to download
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.