Self-Portrait c. 1920

Abraham F. Levinson made this self-portrait with a pencil on a scrap of paper. Look at the angles and the lines - you can almost see his hand moving as he captures his own image. I imagine Levinson with his pipe, glancing in the mirror, his brow furrowed in concentration. The quick, scratchy marks give the drawing a raw, honest feeling, like he's trying to capture not just his appearance, but also a glimpse of his inner self. The lines around his eyes and mouth have a particular weight, suggesting a life fully lived. This self-portrait reminds me of other artists like Egon Schiele, who used expressive lines to convey psychological depth. Artists have always looked at themselves, using their own image as a starting point for deeper explorations of identity and the human condition. It's all one big conversation.