Self-Portrait in Profile c. 1986s

Saul Steinberg drew this self-portrait with ink on paper. The act of drawing allows for a kind of directness, a sort of immediate translation of thought into line. Steinberg really shows us how it’s done. He's working fast, right? You can see the paper and the sketched lines that he quickly edits as he goes. I wonder what he was thinking about as he drew himself—that little detail of the glasses and his hair. It's so funny. He reduces his features to these simple, elegant marks. I can sense the pleasure he took in the line itself, its ability to define form and convey character with such economy. And the glasses are like a stamp or sign that make you know it’s him. Steinberg’s work reminds me of other artists who use humor and wit to explore the human condition, like Picasso. There is always a conversation happening between artists, an exchange of ideas across time. It's about taking risks and trusting your intuition, embracing the unpredictable nature of the creative process.