Self-Portrait 1911

Max Beckmann made this self-portrait in 1911, using what looks like charcoal or lithographic crayon, to pull the image from darkness. It’s a process of working from dark to light, a kind of unveiling. The marks are rough and searching, not caressing. See how the lines around his eyes dig in, almost violently? There's a tension in the graphite, a push and pull between revealing and concealing. The paper seems to struggle under the pressure of the marks. It’s like he’s wrestling with his own image, trying to capture something elusive and maybe even a little frightening. The image seems as if it's still emerging. I am reminded a little of Käthe Kollwitz, both have a similar commitment to revealing the weight of reality. It's a reminder that art isn't always about answers, it's often about the questions we ask.