Self Portrait 1897

This self-portrait was painted with oil on canvas by Józef Mehoffer in 1897. The artist's face, framed by a pair of glasses, is brought to life through the expressive brushstrokes and the careful rendering of light and shadow. Mehoffer's approach here is indicative of the period, a time when academic training was giving way to more subjective modes of expression. You can almost feel the weight of the paint as it's layered onto the canvas, each stroke building towards a cohesive whole. It speaks to the artist's labor, both physical and intellectual, as he grapples with the challenge of capturing his likeness. The finished painting becomes a testament to the individual hand, and the value of human skill in an age of increasing mechanization. Mehoffer asserts the importance of materials and making in understanding the full meaning of the artwork, which challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.