Self-Portrait c. 1986s

This self-portrait was made by Saul Steinberg, likely with a pen on paper. It's all about line, isn't it? Each one feels so considered. Look at the lines that make up the mustache, how they vary in weight and angle, giving the whole thing a kind of bristling energy. It's like he's mapping his own face as a landscape of character. There's something both playful and serious about it. The simplicity of the line becomes incredibly expressive. Take the eyeglasses: two perfect circles balanced on his nose, framing the eyes. The spiral binding on the side reminds me of a Sol Lewitt wall drawing. Steinberg invites us to see the world through the eyes of an artist who is always observing, always drawing connections, always finding the humor and strangeness in the everyday. It reminds us that art isn't just about what we see, but how we see it.