Self Portrait 1918

Editor: We are looking at M.C. Escher's "Self Portrait," made with ink in 1918. It has a stark quality because of the use of black and white shapes. It feels a little unsettling, even as a portrait. What can you tell us about it? Curator: Escher's early work, like this self-portrait, is fascinating in its exploration of identity through the lens of a world undergoing profound change. This was the end of the First World War, and traditional notions of self and society were being questioned. Consider the monochrome palette. How does it affect the way we perceive Escher? Editor: It makes it feel very graphic, almost like a woodcut, but without the texture. Did this starkness reflect a broader artistic trend at the time? Curator: Absolutely. There's a distinct kinship with Expressionism, which sought to depict emotional experience rather than physical reality. Look at the sharp contrasts in light and shadow; they convey a sense of internal tension, perhaps a reflection of the artist grappling with his place in a turbulent world. Who, or what, do you think he is doing this portrait for? Editor: It feels like the kind of work made to challenge the conventions around self-representation in art. Rather than conveying social status, the goal might have been experimentation or even social critique. Curator: Precisely. The choice of medium is also worth noting. Ink, a relatively accessible medium, allows for a certain immediacy and directness of expression, which is critical in times of political change. His "Self Portrait" anticipates Escher’s later, more widely recognized explorations of perspective, mathematics, and space. What have you gleaned from looking at this artwork? Editor: It shows me a raw emotional landscape of a changing world, and I see the influence of the social landscape on even the most personal representation, the self-portrait. Curator: And for me, it's a reminder of art's ability to act as a mirror reflecting not just individual features but also the collective anxieties and aspirations of an era.