Self-Portrait 1937

In this self-portrait, Tove Jansson captured her likeness with oil on canvas. I can imagine her building up the image through layers of color, feeling out the shapes, adjusting the tones to catch the light in her studio. There’s a beautiful stillness to the composition, a quiet focus in her eyes. What might she have been thinking as she painted herself? The objects around her – the paintings, the chair, the bottle on the table – they all seem to hold stories, reflecting her inner world. The paint feels thin and washy, like watercolor. It's interesting how the flatness is broken up with blocks and lines, and the way they create a world that doesn't quite make logical sense. I love how Jansson isn’t afraid to let the painting remain open, unresolved. It reminds me that painting is an ongoing conversation, a way for artists to explore and express themselves, and, importantly, to inspire each other across time.