Self-Portrait: Caricatures c. 1918

This is a sheet of paper on which Elihu Vedder has created multiple self-portraits using pencil and touches of red chalk. Imagine him, sitting alone, trying to understand himself through line and shape! The faces seem to morph and shift, from realistic to grotesque, with different perspectives and expressions. I love how Vedder wasn't afraid to play with his image. The lines are raw and immediate, capturing fleeting thoughts and feelings. It makes me think of Picasso or Goya, in their own relentless self-examination through art. The surface is scribbled with words and arrows, perhaps notes or reminders, adding another layer to the intimate glimpse into the artist's mind. This kind of raw, personal work reminds me that artists are always in conversation with themselves, wrestling with their inner demons and desires. It is like they are saying, "Here I am, flawed and complex." And by sharing that vulnerability, they invite us to do the same.