Self-portrait 1938

This self-portrait, made by Konstantin Alexeevich Korovin, uses thick strokes of ochre, white, and brown to capture an old man’s likeness. I can imagine Korovin in front of the mirror, brush in hand, mixing colors, squinting, and trying to pin down his own expression. Look how the white paint clumps to form the beard, while the face is a more subtle blend of warm hues. There's a certain immediacy to the application. It's like he's thinking through paint, each stroke a decision, a question, a response. That little red fleck there! It's like a tiny exclamation point. Korovin, like other painters, is part of a long conversation, trying to figure out how to translate what we see and feel into something tangible. And here, in the materiality of the paint itself, is where the magic happens, inviting us to ponder the many possibilities of seeing.