Self-portrait with Head in Hand 1927

Curator: What strikes me immediately is the raw vulnerability in this image. It feels incredibly immediate and personal. Editor: This is Walter Gramatté's "Self-portrait with Head in Hand." Gramatté, a German expressionist artist active in the early 20th century, left us this deeply affecting image. It is currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Curator: Expressionist, yes, that makes sense. The stark lines, the unflinching gaze… it’s almost confrontational. What was the art world like when he made this? Editor: Gramatté worked during a period of intense social and political upheaval in Germany. The trauma of World War I deeply impacted artists like him, and their art often reflected this anxiety and disillusionment. Curator: It is interesting to see how Gramatté used his art to discuss the post-war trauma, which may have been exacerbated by his known struggle with illness and isolation. Editor: Precisely. And thinking about the politics of self-representation, this work stands as a powerful assertion of individual experience against the backdrop of societal collapse. It demands we confront our own vulnerabilities. Curator: It really does. It’s a stark reminder of the human cost of those times. Editor: And a reminder that even in the face of adversity, there is power in self-expression.