Self Portrait 1888

Charles Laval crafted this self-portrait in 1888, a window into his soul rendered with oil on canvas. Here, the window isn't merely a frame, but a powerful symbol dividing the interior self from the exterior world. This divide echoes through art history, from Northern Renaissance depictions of the Annunciation, where a window separates the divine from the earthly, to Romantic landscapes where it frames the sublime yet unattainable nature. Laval positions himself close to us. His gaze, direct and intense, recalls the "memento mori" tradition, a confrontation with mortality. This awareness isn't morbid, however; it’s a call to recognize the cyclical nature of existence. Like the ouroboros, the serpent eating its tail, these symbols reappear, evolving, reminding us that art, like life, is a continuous return.