Self portrait 1946

This self-portrait by Dmitri Zhilinsky is made with what looks like oil paint, layered in short, confident strokes. The whole thing pulses with red! Zhilinsky has surrounded himself with a vibrant, almost theatrical crimson backdrop, echoed in the flushed tones of his skin. Looking at this piece, I can't help but imagine the artist in his studio, perhaps stealing glances in the mirror, capturing his likeness with a mixture of observation and maybe even a touch of self-mythologizing. The texture is palpable; you can almost feel the drag of the brush as he carves out the planes of his face. Each dab and stroke seems deliberate. I wonder, was he thinking about Rembrandt's dramatic lighting or maybe Titian’s sensuous brushwork? Ultimately, artists are in an ongoing conversation, riffing off each other across time. For me, painting isn't about fixed answers but more about an embodied expression, embracing ambiguity and allowing for multiple interpretations. Zhilinsky's gaze invites us into that space of uncertainty and possibility.