Self-portrait c. 1802

Editor: Here we have James Barry’s self-portrait, a drawing made around 1802 using pencil, graphite, and charcoal, and it’s held at the Rijksmuseum. It’s such a direct gaze; the lines seem to emphasize a heaviness, like gravity is pulling his features downwards. What stands out to you most about this work? Curator: It is crucial to appreciate the meticulous technique. Observe the chiaroscuro effects achieved through varying degrees of hatching and cross-hatching. Consider the relationship between line and tone and how that constructs volume. Editor: So you're less focused on expression and more on *how* it's built, technically speaking? Curator: Precisely. How does the application of the charcoal manifest texture and form? The artist's handling of light and shadow dictates our reading of the face, more so than any emotional interpretation. Editor: I guess I just assumed "self-portrait" invites a psychological reading, but I see what you mean. Curator: And how the romanticism could be read in the dramatic lighting instead. What impact do you believe is intended? Editor: I think now, considering what you've pointed out, there's this tension between his physical appearance, created with the shading and texture, and whatever sense of 'self' he wanted to portray. He's using this very careful technique, which almost clashes with that heavier feeling I got initially. Curator: An astute observation, drawing out this dynamic and dichotomy that lies in that face looking at you. Editor: Definitely makes me appreciate it in a different way now! Thanks.