Self-Portrait with Cigar 1908 - 1909

Editor: Here we have Edvard Munch's "Self-Portrait with Cigar," housed at the Harvard Art Museums. The swirling lines really give it a sense of unease, but what do you see in terms of the materiality of this work? Curator: The lithographic process, the use of stone, the greasy crayon—all contribute to this image's accessibility. It's not just about *who* Munch was, but *how* this image could be reproduced and distributed, reflecting the social implications of printmaking. Editor: So, it's less about the tortured artist and more about the process of making art accessible? Curator: Precisely. The materials democratize the image, transforming it from a singular creation to a multiple, a commodity, challenging traditional notions of artistic value and consumption. Editor: That's a completely different way of looking at Munch. I'll keep an eye out for the means of production going forward.