Information provided by the estate of Moody: 'The artist's first self-portrait in bronze so displeased him, that he destroyed it. This second version pleased him no better. By the time he finished it in June 1937, he was utterly dedicated to wood and had virtually abandoned bronze. He therefore decided to try another version in elm and, within a month, produced Self-Portrait 3. For the next nine years, all his portraits were in wood.

When Marie Seton went to live in America, she put this mask into storage, together with several other works the artist had left in her care. Although it is mentioned in her letter of 27.10.42 to Cox & King's, authorising Helene Moody to collect them, it remained with Marie Seton until her death in 1985 and was restored to the artist's collection by her executor Pamela Cullen in 1989.'