Why did Leonardo da Vinci paint his self-portrait?

Question: Why did Leonardo da Vinci paint his self-portrait!?

Was there any meaning to his painting!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

this was in days before photographs, so was the only way one could record one’s own image – don’t think anything more to it than that – why do people take scads of photos of themselves these days – Leonardo of course [& which portrait do you mean by the way!?] could have added things, meaningful stuff in background, symbolic stuff etc!. – but basically, I guess, to record his likeness for future generations!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

Leonardo was far from unique in painting self portraits!. Van Gough did dozens!. As an artist, painting a self portrait is a fascinating and valuable exercise in observing and introspection!. I don't believe artists today or in the past do it for posterity so that others will know what they look like!. Artist today do it and we can take photos!. A photograph does not and can not express the person like a drawing or painting can!.Www@QuestionHome@Com