Self-Portrait with Hat I 1927

Editor: We’re looking at Edvard Munch’s "Self-Portrait with Hat I" from 1927. It's a lithograph, primarily rendered in red pencil on paper. It feels so stark and raw. What do you see in this piece beyond just a portrait? Curator: Beyond the immediate image, I see Munch grappling with aging and mortality, themes central to his late work. How does a prominent expressionist, known for visualizing internal turmoil, confront the gaze in self-representation? He is not simply showing himself but negotiating his identity against societal expectations of masculinity and artistic genius. Consider also, what does it mean for a privileged white male to 'express' his inner self at the time? Editor: That's a great point. The expression seems almost… weary, as though he is confronting his own legacy. Is the hat just a detail, or is there something more to it? Curator: I’m glad you noticed the hat! It serves not just as a personal identifier, but potentially a symbol of the male artist’s position in society, or perhaps a protective shield against external critique. What assumptions do we make about a man of his time based on this self-representation? This invites discussion on the performativity of identity and how Munch engages – or perhaps fails to engage – with disrupting conventional norms. Editor: So, it's not just about "himself", but about how societal forces shaped his self-perception and representation. Thank you! I will remember this new view of his portrait. Curator: Precisely. Art, especially self-portraits, serves as a powerful arena for dialogue about selfhood within larger social, political and art-historical narratives. Always question the context in which the work was made and how it resonates with contemporary perspectives.