Self-portrait 

Curator: Here we have a self-portrait drawing by Ramón Casas, rendered in charcoal. I'm especially drawn to the date at the bottom—1908. There's such a directness to the gaze. Editor: The first word that springs to mind is "contemplative." The way he holds the pipe…it's not an ostentatious display. It feels like part of a ritual, an aid to thinking. But, honestly, what intrigues me is that steady look—like he is dissecting something. Curator: Casas has captured this air of quiet observation perfectly. It feels very intimate, despite the formality of the portrait. A hat, glasses, suit...these things seem to offer layers, almost concealing him behind this cultivated bourgeois image. Do you think the pipe adds or subtracts from the symbolic depth? Editor: I think it enhances it. In portraiture, a pipe can symbolize reflection, but here, nestled against that magnificent beard, it almost becomes a continuation of his thought process, materializing into the physical. What does he want us to see or not see? What elements did Casas strategically incorporate? Curator: I love how you bring attention to this contrast in showing and hiding! Considering his Art Nouveau style and leaning into symbolism, how might that impact the image as a whole? Editor: Absolutely. His Modernist aesthetic lends a psychological weight to the piece. Casas presents himself within a stylistic context that prioritizes inner states and emotive experiences over straightforward depictions of reality. His dress and props project him into the viewer's eye in a complex layering of perception and perspective. Curator: Yes, almost as if he’s attempting to draw out something in us, the viewers. Looking back on this image, there is such depth. It makes me question what it really means to know someone or ourselves. Editor: The self-portrait transcends the simple likeness of its model to invite reflection on cultural perceptions of class, purpose, and the self. I keep coming back to the question of who and what this artist is—and to the symbolism surrounding his persona. What symbols will future eyes see in this portrait of 1908?