The American art critic Jerry Saltz has written a piece about ‘the history of the selfie’ for New York magazine. Noting that we live in the age of the selfie, he examines how it relates to art history and current directions in art.

Saltz proclaims that his favourite selfie – in its earliest form – is a 16th century self-portrait, painted by an Italian artist as viewed through a convex mirror.

Here is the painting in question: Parmigianino’s 1524 Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror.

Self-portrait in a convex mirror

This is the 16th century painting that New York magazine labels ‘the first selfie?’

As Saltz explains, “All the attributes of the selfie are here: the subject’s face from a bizarre angle, the elongated arm, foreshortening, compositional distortion, the close-in intimacy.”

He certainly seems to have a point! And, surely its got to qualify as the first ever convex mirror selfie anyway?

Whether or not you’re a fan of the selfie, this is not your average selfie…we’d certainly give it some hanging space!