Self-Portrait II 1898

Editor: This is Hans Thoma’s "Self-Portrait II." It's an etching, but the detail makes it seem like a drawing. I’m immediately drawn to the sharp contrast, especially in the face. What strikes you about the composition? Curator: The density of line, employed to model form and create texture, predominates. Notice how the artist utilizes hatching and cross-hatching to build up areas of dark and light, defining the planes of the face and the folds of the clothing. Editor: So the lines are as important as the image itself. Curator: Precisely. The formal elements—the interplay of line, tone, and texture—constitute the work’s very essence. Editor: I see it now. Thanks for illuminating that. Curator: My pleasure. It is always rewarding to explore the intrinsic qualities of art.