Male Portrait 1938

This intense "Male Portrait" was created by Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz in 1938 using pastel. Notice the man's piercing gaze and the agitated, almost electric, swirls of green in the background; this combination evokes a sense of unease. The formal attire – jacket, shirt and tie – belies the disquieting expression. Think back to the Renaissance portraits where similar attire signified status and control. Here, however, it feels like a mask, a thin veneer over a deeper, more troubled psyche. This dichotomy reminds us of the ancient Greek concept of the "persona," the mask worn by actors to portray different emotional states. Here, the mask is not so much concealing as revealing, hinting at the anxieties and existential dread that permeated Europe on the eve of World War II. It is a visual premonition. The portrait serves as a poignant symbol of human vulnerability.