Self-Portrait 1971

This is a self-portrait made with pencil and crayon by Periklis Vyzantios on January 16, 1967. The color palette here is muted, mostly earth tones with the odd red mark, but what's interesting is the density of line, and how they build a sense of volume and emotion. I really like the way Vyzantios uses line to describe form and emotion. Look closely at the eyes—the dark smudges that feel almost like tears or heavy shadows. Then notice how the lines around the mouth and chin create a sense of gravity, pulling the face downward. It is as if each mark is not just describing what he sees, but also what he feels. The lines are deeply etched, almost like scars on the paper. This approach reminds me of the work of artists like Käthe Kollwitz. Both are interested in expressing the weight of human experience. This piece shows how art can be a conversation across time, echoing and reinterpreting the concerns of those who came before.