Self-Portrait 1908

Albrecht Anker painted this self-portrait, probably in oils, with the brushwork loose but controlled. It’s mostly tonal, you know, browns and creams, but then there are these little dabs of pink in the face, giving a sense of warmth and liveliness. I can imagine him standing in front of the mirror, studying his own face, trying to capture something essential, maybe even something about getting older. What does it mean to face yourself? To really look? What did he see? The paint looks quite thin, like he's been economical with it, but the strokes are really deliberate, especially around the eyes and beard. He knew what he was doing, this guy! It reminds me a bit of those late Rembrandt self-portraits, that same feeling of honesty, of just laying it all bare. Painting’s a conversation, right? And each artist is building on what came before. I bet Anker was looking at Rembrandt, and now, well, we’re looking at Anker. It just keeps going.