Self Portrait 1901

George Washington Lambert made this self-portrait with oil on canvas, and it's a moody one. The brushstrokes feel deliberate, almost like he's chiseling his own likeness out of the darkness. I imagine him standing before the easel, peering into the mirror, maybe a little unsure, but also determined. You know? That dark brown color he’s surrounded himself with—it's like he's trying to capture not just his face, but his essence. There’s a tenderness in the way he handles the light on his face, a subtle glow that makes him feel very present. It reminds me of other portrait painters, all those artists who stare at themselves in the mirror and try to figure out who they are. Like, what does it mean to capture yourself? I guess we’re all just trying to find our place in the conversation of painting.