Portrait of Myself 1901

This is Theodore Roussel’s self-portrait, made with drypoint on laid paper, now held at The Art Institute of Chicago. Roussel captures his likeness through a flurry of etched lines, an approach to mark-making which feels both precise and impulsive. The network of lines around his head, built up to create a dark, shadowy mass, are rendered with such chaotic energy, it's like he's trying to capture not just his face, but the very act of looking at himself. That shadowy area around the head: it's almost as if he's using darkness to define his presence, which is funny to me as a painter, because it reminds me of that old saying: you have to know how to paint the background in order to paint the figure. It is like Whistler, but with a bit more...bite? They both shared an interest in printmaking as a way of experimenting with tone and composition, but where Whistler could be all misty and atmospheric, Roussel feels more direct, more confrontational. It is art as an ongoing conversation, and Roussel is jumping right in!