Self-portrait 1917

This is Gustav Schraegle's self-portrait, currently held at the Städel Museum, an intriguing study in line and form. The portrait is rendered almost entirely in stark black lines, rapidly sketched against the stark white paper. The artist uses dense crosshatching to sculpt the contours of his face, beard, and hair, creating areas of deep shadow. This technique not only defines his features but also conveys a sense of depth and volume, typical of what we see in German Expressionism. The lines are restless, energetic, and seem to vibrate on the surface, giving the portrait a dynamic, almost turbulent quality. This work feels very modern. Schraegle seems less interested in the precision of representation and more in capturing the essence of a subject. The composition destabilizes traditional portraiture and, through these formal choices, pushes beyond the constraints of the art. It invites an ongoing dialogue about the relationship between artist, subject, and medium.