Self-Portrait in Profile c. 1986s

Saul Steinberg made this self-portrait in profile with pen on paper. Look at the way he draws his glasses – one big circle split into quadrants, like a minimalist sculpture stuck to his face. The lines are so simple, almost cartoonish, but they capture something essential about the artist. You can see the hand moving, feeling its way around the contours of his face. The line isn’t precious, it's wobbly, a little unsure, but confident too. The hatching in the hair, the gentle curve of the mustache, all done with such economy. There’s a playfulness in this self-portrait, a refusal to take himself too seriously that reminds me of Picasso’s line drawings. It's as if Steinberg is saying, "Here I am, in all my imperfect glory." And isn’t that what art is all about?