Self-Portrait c. 1930

This is a self-portrait by Alexander Zerdin Kruse, and it looks like he made it using graphite on paper. You can see the hand of the artist in those marks. It’s not about hiding the process, but letting it sing. Looking closely, you’ll notice how the texture of the paper comes through, especially in the lighter areas. The way he's built up the shadows around his eyes and hat is amazing. Each stroke feels deliberate, almost like he’s mapping his own face, turning it into a landscape of experience. See how the lines around the mouth curve and suggest a quiet knowing? This reminds me of the portraits by Käthe Kollwitz, who also used printmaking to explore the depths of human emotion. Like Kollwitz, Kruse isn't just showing us what he looks like, he's inviting us to contemplate what it means to be seen, to be known, and to see ourselves in the eyes of another. It's a conversation across time, a shared exploration of what it means to be human.