Self-Portrait 1922

Walter Gramatté made this stark self-portrait using lithography, a printmaking technique that relies on the tension between oil and water. The artist likely drew directly onto a stone or metal plate with a greasy crayon, then chemically treated the surface so that only the drawn areas would accept ink. The resulting image is full of contrasts. See how the velvety blacks of the background throw the artist's face into high relief, while the rapid, scratchy lines create a sense of unease. This approach to printmaking, bypassing the traditional smoothness often associated with the medium, allows for a raw, immediate quality. Lithography, while capable of mass production, here feels deeply personal. Gramatté’s focus on the material and process transforms a commercial technique into an intimate expression, blurring the lines between printmaking, craft, and fine art.