Dzulkifli Buyong painted himself in this work, at a young age of 23 years old. Buyong looks directly at the viewer with a calm and reassured gaze. Illustrated with subtle colours in a palette of green, teal, and orange tones, the face is modelled with confident brushstrokes, revealing the artist’s talent. Buyong pursued his art training for three years in Japan in the late 1960s, this self-portrait was created post-Japan. Dzulkifli Buyong was a wunderkind of the Wednesday Art Group which he joined from 1962 to 1966. He is known for his mini psychological dramas of children at play and in the rural home surroundings, and often with a cat in tow or sometimes with the cat taking centre stage itself. He first excelled in 1962 when he won the Best Overall Entry award presented by the Raja Permaisuri Agong and then prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman. His other awards include: 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prizes (pastels), Young Friends' Art Competition 1962; 3rd Prize (oil) and 3rd Prize (pastel), Mother & Child competition 1963; 1st and 2nd (pastels), Young Friends Competition 1963; 3rd Prize, Bahasa Kebangsaan Month Poster Competition, 1964; 2nd Prize (pastel), Joy of Living competition, 1964.