Self-Portrait in Profile c. 1986s

Saul Steinberg made this self-portrait with ink on a notebook page, and it exemplifies how he used simple lines to create complex meanings. The image is an outline of a man in profile, with geometrical shapes forming his eyeglasses. The work reminds us of the kind of Cold War anxieties that were common in the United States when the artist lived and worked there. The mask-like glasses could imply the artificiality of modern life, and its effect on our relationships. Steinberg's work often appeared in magazines and newspapers. As such, it suggests a skepticism toward the mass media and the way images shape our identities. He takes a progressive stance by critiquing the institutions of art, forcing us to consider the way that institutions shape our understanding of ourselves. To fully appreciate the artwork, research would have to be done into the artist's life and the social history of American culture. What we learn from this contextual knowledge is that art is contingent on the society in which it was made.