Self-Portrait 1982

This is a 'Self-Portrait' by Sam Francis, made using printmaking techniques. I love how these stark black shapes on a white ground come together to form a face. It’s such a raw, pared-down way of capturing a likeness, boiling it down to the bare essentials. Looking at it, I’m drawn to the way the ink sits on the page – it’s almost sculptural, raised in certain areas, and creating this really tactile surface. You can almost feel the pressure of the plate, the artist's hand in the making. The eyes, just these pools of black, and the way they sit slightly off-kilter gives the piece so much character, it's kind of haunting. It’s an amazing study in how much can be said with so little. This reminds me a bit of some of Elizabeth Peyton's portraits, especially in the way Francis uses a minimalist approach to capture the essence of a person. Both artists show us that portraiture isn't just about representation, it's about interpretation and feeling.