Self-portrait 1911

Fedir Krychevsky made this self-portrait in oil paint, we don't know exactly when but probably sometime in the early 20th century. I love the way he’s just gone at it, smearing the paint around, not trying to get it too perfect. It’s like he's saying, "Here I am, in all my messy glory!" Check out the texture, the way the paint sits on the canvas, all thick and juicy. You can almost feel the brushstrokes, like you’re right there with him in the studio. And the colors! Earthy tones, browns and greens, with just a pop of purple in his tie. It’s like he’s trying to blend in with nature, but still wants to stand out a little bit. There's this one spot, right above his left eyebrow, where the paint is really thick and kind of swirly. It's like a little tornado of paint, drawing your eye in. Krychevsky reminds me a bit of some of the early expressionists, like Emil Nolde, who weren't afraid to get a little raw and emotional with their paint. But Krychevsky has his own thing going on, a kind of Ukrainian soulfulness that’s hard to put into words. It's just a painting, but it feels like so much more.