Self-Portrait 

Tomás Joseph Harris made this self-portrait with drypoint etching, and the effect is immediately striking. Notice how the artist’s head and shoulders emerge from a dark, indefinite background. The texture appears rough and unfinished, heightening the emotional impact. Harris uses a network of lines to build up tonal values. See how each stroke of the needle contributes to the overall form, defining the contours of his face and hair with expressive energy. The marks aren't just representational; they're indexical. This emphasis on the materiality of the medium disrupts traditional portraiture. The portrait challenges fixed meanings, inviting us to consider the gap between representation and reality. The artist invites us to explore the very process of image-making. It reminds us that art is not a mirror reflecting the world but a constructed system of signs open to continuous interpretation.