We all see them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. But the question has to be asked, where did the ‘Selfie’ come from?

In the last few years with social media on the rise, there has been an overwhelming influx of these self portraits flooding your news feed. Although one may not think very much of them, Selfies have altered the way people pose for pictures with their body language, privacy, humor, and public decency. It may be hard to believe, but ‘Selfies’ have altered our culture and attribute to the art our generations will leave behind.

This type of portraiture dates back to the 18th century when the wealthy would ask artists to paint portraits for them. Although today’s selfie is more casual, the purpose of these pictures is to expose a person’s assets. Whether this be monetary, or to display an attractive facial feature.

Selfies closely resemble these paintings from the 18th century due to the fact the both are staged for a purpose. A person has to ‘approve’ a selfie in their mind before sending it on snapchat, or posting it to facebook.

Today’s selfies are more silly with the development of the duck face, muscle flexes, and filters. It may be an abstract idea, but selfies are portraits. Back in the 1700s, the medium for a self portrait was paint and canvas. As technology has progressed, we now use our phones to express this type of ‘art’.

Whether a selfie is taken in your room, or on the beach, these photos are a defining characteristic for the current times. So next time you are deciding between XX Pro or Valencia, know that you are contributing to our art and culture.