Smiling Head, Self-portrait 1923

Editor: This is Walter Gramatté’s “Smiling Head, Self-portrait,” made with etching and graphite in 1923. It’s such a striking image; even though it's called 'Smiling Head,' the sharp angles and shadows give it a really intense, almost unsettling feel. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Well, what immediately strikes me are the fractured planes of the face. It's not just a smile; it's a mask of an expression, isn't it? This fracturing links to the broader Expressionist movement, reflecting a sense of inner turmoil and fragmentation prevalent after the First World War. Do you see how the lines seem to carve the face, almost like a woodcut in their severity? Editor: I do, especially around the eyes. So it’s not really about capturing a likeness, but more about conveying an emotional state? Curator: Precisely. The "smile" could be interpreted as a coping mechanism, a way to project an image of normalcy amidst chaos. Notice the rays emanating from the head – a halo of sorts, but not necessarily a divine one. More like a radiating aura of psychological energy, perhaps anxiety? Editor: I didn’t think of it as anxiety, but that makes sense. The sharp angles around the head definitely add to that feeling. It's like the smile is fighting against the overall tension in the face. Curator: Exactly. Consider too, that self-portraits are often loaded with symbolism. Gramatté is not just showing us what he looks like; he’s offering a glimpse into his psychological landscape. It's a window into the artist’s self, filtered through the lens of a war-torn generation grappling with identity and disillusionment. Editor: That makes me see it in a completely different light. I was so focused on the smile that I missed the bigger picture of what it might be trying to conceal. Curator: And that's the beauty of art, isn't it? The symbols shift and reshape our understanding, revealing layers we might have missed at first glance. Editor: Absolutely, I've learned a lot from unpacking the symbolic content in this print!