Self-portrait c. 1875

Curator: This is Marcellin Desboutin's "Self-portrait," currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums, a piece of approximately 34 by 22 centimeters. Editor: It has a stark, almost confrontational energy; the eyes are very intense. I wonder about the process of creating this etching; it looks incredibly detailed. Curator: The direct gaze certainly pulls you in. The mole, the beard, the almost wild hair—they speak to a conscious construction of a certain kind of artistic persona. It recalls archetypes of the visionary, the outcast. Editor: I’m thinking about the copperplate, the acid, the labour involved. How many prints were made? Was this a commercial venture, or more of a personal statement using accessible materials? Curator: Perhaps both. The image taps into the romantic idea of the artist but also speaks of the artist's own self-awareness. Editor: Exactly. It gives the impression of someone engaging with his craft while reflecting on himself and how he wants to be seen. Curator: And through the lens of history, we are able to gaze back. Editor: Making us complicit in his artistic statement, indeed.