Portrait of Myself 1901

This is Theodore Roussel’s self-portrait, etched sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. Look at those dry, scratchy marks around his face! You can almost feel the burr of the drypoint needle as it’s dragged across the copper plate. It’s a testament to how a print can also feel like a unique drawing. The image emerges from a dark, undefined background, full of tonal depth and nuance. I can imagine him studying his face in the mirror, trying to capture his likeness with a few deft strokes, and really getting into it, wrestling with his own image. The soft, velvety texture of the drypoint lines gives his face a warm, human presence, while the sharp, precise lines of his suit suggest a more formal, composed self. Artists, like Roussel, are always in conversation with one another, picking up ideas, experimenting with techniques, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. It reminds me of Whistler's prints, and how artists are always building on each other’s work, inspiring new ways of seeing and making.