A Face to the World

Laura Cumming

2 ideas

1. Self-portraits are a distinct art form

   A self-portrait is not simply a portrait whose sitter happens to be the painter. Its subject and maker are one person, who controls exactly how they are seen and is present as both image and author. That fusion makes it a performance of identity, not a neutral record of appearance.

2. The viewer stands where the mirror stood

   To paint himself, the artist stared into a mirror, so the finished picture looks out from the mirror's position. Whoever stands before it takes that spot and receives a gaze first aimed at the artist's own reflection. The encounter therefore feels like direct, private address, as if the painted face is looking specifically at you.

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