Self-portrait 1913

Jan Mankes made this self-portrait in the early 20th century with understated skill. The olive green ink creates a delicate mood, a quiet hum, like an old photograph faded with time. Look closely at the surface; you can see the subtle texture of the paper and the slight variations in the ink density, where he’s wiped it back. It's not about a perfect likeness but the feeling of being present with himself. Notice the way he’s rendered the hair with fine, wiry lines. Each strand seems deliberately placed. The lines create depth but also feel so immediate. The tonal range is subtle, everything seems muted, which is broken by the stark white highlights on the lips, nose and eye. It reminds me of the intimate and introspective works of Vilhelm Hammershøi, another artist who found beauty in quiet contemplation. Both artists see art as an ongoing dialogue with the past, where feeling trumps precision.