Selvportræt en face 1928

John Christensen made this self-portrait in 1928 with pencil on paper. You can see the delicacy of the strokes, as if he's mapping his own face, contour by contour. I'm thinking about John, pencil in hand, staring intently at his reflection. What was he trying to capture? Was it likeness, or something deeper? The soft shading around the eyes suggests a vulnerability, a quiet introspection. The paper has aged, stained with time, which only adds to the drawing's poignancy, don't you think? The simplicity reminds me of other artists, like Agnes Martin, who use pared-down means to get at something profound. It shows us how a simple medium can convey complex feelings and ideas. Like an echo chamber through time, John’s quiet expression continues to resonate.