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What symbolic message did Anthony van Dyck express by painting himself with a sunflower?
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Anthony van Dyck
Self-Portrait, oil on canvas by Anthony Van Dyck, c. 1620–21; in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. 119.7 × 87.9 cm.
In his self-portrait, Anthony van Dyck used the sunflower as an emblem to express his devotion to King Charles I. This inclusion of allegorical attributes was a reflection of the literary vogue of the time, which often incorporated symbolic elements into portraiture.1