Self-portraits are an important part of Odd Nerdrum’s body of work. In Second Birth (2004), Nerdrum made a bold statement: the artist chose to portray himself as a prophet or a Messiah figure. Prophets are important figures in Judeo-Christian theology: they serve as vessels that transmit God’s word to the masses. While prophets enjoy a special status and a unique relationship with God, they are often burdened and misunderstood figures. Their calling forces them to tell harsh truths, and as a result they are often ridiculed and even persecuted. By painting himself in such a way, Nerdrum compares the experience of an artist to that of a prophet, thus commenting on the artist’s role and status. Like the prophet, the artist can share spiritual truths with the audience through his work.

Nerdrum built upon the Western tradition of the genre of self-portraiture, particularly the work of one of his idols, the Dutch Master, Rembrandt. In Frontal Self Portrait (1998) Nerdrum even presents himself as reincarnation of Rembrandt. He modeled himself in the image of the Dutch master alluding to Rembrandt’s works such as [i]Self Portrait at the Age of 63[/i] (1669) and Self Portrait as the Apostle Paul (1661). Nerdrum expressed his personal and artistic identity, he sees himself as an old master and a reviver of the art of painting. This type of grand comparison is not unusual for Nerdrum. In another self-portrait, The Savior of Painting (1997), he is portrayed barefoot in a golden robe holding a brush and palette. The historical costume once again evokes images of European master painters. Like the title indicates, Nerdrum, who faithfully follows the traditions of European painting, announces himself as the savior of the medium.

In Second Birth the artist takes this concept a step further: he is depicted rising from the ground, and as the title indicates he is being reborn. This is a clear reference to the resurrection of Christ, and the artist even adorns a crown of thorns like Christ on the cross. Like Christ, the artist is reborn through pain and suffering. In Second Birth, Nerdrum placed greater emphasis on emotional and spiritual suffering rather than on physical suffering. The realistic depictions of physical suffering are characteristic of Nerdrum’s earlier works like Hepatitis (1996-1997). The painting shows a man twisting in agony, who seems to be taking a deep breath as he finds the strength to raise himself up. The depiction in Second Birth is quite different: the artist is buried in soil with his arms bound in the ground, but his body is languid and his expression is calm. Nerdrum’s spirit is resurrected: his second birth is not physical, it is emotional and spiritual. Another important element in Second Birth is the earth itself. In his painting Buried Alive (1995-1996), the ground signifies a place of trauma: it functions both as a crime scene and a weapon. In Second Birth, the earth can also be interpreted as a place of a psychological trauma. However, in this case, the artist rises from the ground and from this place of trauma - he is reborn.