Self-Portrait c. 1926

Curator: Here we have a striking "Self-Portrait" by Preston Dickinson. The dimensions are about 45 by 30 centimeters, and it resides here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first thought? Austere. The sharp contrast of light and shadow is so intense; it almost feels like a woodcut, but it's a drawing. Curator: Yes, the materiality contributes so much. Dickinson seems to be laying bare his soul through the very act of creation. The visible strokes, the smudging—it’s all so raw. Editor: It’s interesting to think about the paper itself, its texture, and how that interacts with the charcoal. The labor required to create this depth… It's about more than just capturing a likeness. Curator: I agree. It's a self-excavation. It invites me to reflect on the artist’s internal state, those intense eyes gazing outward almost as if to ask if you understand his soul. Editor: I’m just thinking of the embodied act here, Dickinson sitting, charcoal in hand, working and reworking the image over and over. Curator: I think Dickinson offers us a glimpse into his psyche here. Editor: A poignant and powerful meditation on the self, indeed.