Self Portrait 1931

Nikola Martinoski painted this self-portrait, using oil on canvas, with thick, almost sculptural strokes. Look how he builds up the face. It's like he's not just painting what he sees, but building a version of himself, layer by layer. The texture is alive, especially in the ochre and brown tones of his skin. You can almost feel the weight of the paint, the deliberate choices he made with each stroke. I’m drawn to the area around his eyes. It’s dark, almost hollow, but there’s a light there too. Is it tiredness, introspection, or just the way the light catches his face? This approach to portraiture reminds me of the early Cubists, like Picasso. Martinoski isn't just capturing a likeness, but inviting us to consider the complexities of the individual, himself, through the very act of painting.