Self-Portrait 1910

This is a self-portrait by Antonio Mancini, painted with oils on canvas. The palette is so dark, the figure emerging from a murky abyss, like he's materializing right before our eyes. I'm struck by how hard it must have been for Mancini to paint himself. To really *see* yourself, I mean. He probably started with a clear idea, but then the painting took over, didn’t it? One stroke leading to another, each mark a tiny decision, building up to this… ghostly presence. There’s real vulnerability here, a raw exposure of self. Look at the way he’s handled the brush. Loose, gestural strokes suggesting a face rather than defining it. That little dab of white, catching the light, brings him to life. You can almost feel him breathing! It reminds me of other artists who wrestled with their own image, like Rembrandt. Painters are always in conversation with each other like this, aren’t they? This painting feels less like a statement and more like an ongoing question: who am I? And how can I capture that on canvas?