Primary sourcePainting
William James self-portrait
William James
A self-portrait drawing made by William James during the period he trained as a painter.
A rare self-portrait by James from his youthful training as a painter, before he became a philosopher.
About this source
What it is
This is a charcoal or pencil self-portrait drawing made by William James himself, from the time when he studied painting under the artist William Morris Hunt.
Why it matters
Before becoming a philosopher and psychologist, James seriously pursued art training. This drawing reveals a lesser-known side of his early life, when he considered becoming a painter rather than a scholar.
Look closer
- What does this drawing suggest about James's skills and interests before he turned to philosophy?
- Why might someone studying to be a painter later choose a very different career?
This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of William James on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.
More William James sources
Meet the AI William James →
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The Principles of Psychology
William James · 1890
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The Varieties of Religious Experience
William James · 1901-1902
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Pragmatism: A New Name for Some Old Ways of Thinking
William James · 1907
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The Will to Believe
William James · 1896
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William James
John La Farge · 1859
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