It is a work made by Sorolla in Rome during his first year as a scholarship holder. A self-portrait dedicated to a “friend Esteban”, whose identification remains unknown to this day. The work has been studied and restored at the CAEM facilities, confirming its attribution already verified by Blanca Pons-Sorolla, and revealing that this work, previously known as “Bust of a Man”, is ultimately a self-portrait of the author himself. In addition, the technical study of works from this stage of the artist’s training, allows us to better understand how Sorolla evolved (starting from a great natural talent that is reflected in this paradigmatic self-portrait), to be known worldwide as the master of light.