Man with Heart (Self) 1918

Walter Gramatté made this self-portrait “Man with Heart” in sepia tones, like a memory fading into view. It’s a world of browns, from dark chocolate to light coffee, with the artist holding his own heart in his hands. I imagine him wrestling with this image, trying to pin down his likeness. He’s caught his eyes, a little wide, a little haunted. Look at the way he painted his heart. Is it a real heart? Or is it a symbol, this pulsing, fragile thing? Is it heavy? Is it burning? I wonder if he felt exposed, laying himself bare on the canvas. You can see the influence of Munch here, a through-line of feeling, a conversation across time. It’s like they’re both asking: what does it mean to be human, to feel, to suffer? Gramatté isn't just painting a face; he's capturing a state of being. And in doing so, he invites us to reflect on our own hearts, our own vulnerabilities. It’s like he's saying, "I'm here, I feel, I'm alive."