Self-Portrait 1910

Antonio Mancini made this self-portrait on canvas and, like a lot of portraiture, it's about how we look at ourselves, or want to be seen. The first thing that strikes me is the dark palette, almost like he's emerging from the shadows, and the way he's used these broad strokes of paint to build up the form. It’s all about process, isn’t it? You can almost feel Mancini layering the paint, scraping it back, and building up the image bit by bit. Look at the way the light catches the side of his face, it’s not about detail but about capturing a feeling, a presence. The texture is incredible, thick and almost sculptural. It’s like he’s wrestling with the paint, trying to capture something elusive. His contemporary, Giovanni Boldini, was also trying to drag painting into a new era, using a similarly expressive and gestural approach. But there’s also something so personal and raw about this work. It's about seeing, thinking, feeling, all rolled into one.