Mijn portret 1905

James Ensor made this self-portrait with graphite, on paper, sometime in his life. Look at how he is observing himself in a mirror, probably. It’s a quick drawing – or does it just seem that way? Did he labor over each individual line? Or did he capture it effortlessly? I’m trying to imagine his thoughts as he looked at himself in the mirror. What did he see? How can we trust our reflections? Is this really him? The delicate strokes of the graphite capture the light, creating a soft, ethereal quality. This drawing reminds me of other artists, such as Käthe Kollwitz, who used drawing as a method to explore themes of social justice and humanity. And it makes me think about the history of portraiture, how artists have always been fascinated by the human form, its ability to capture personality, emotion, and identity.