Self-Portrait 1921

Augustus John made this self-portrait using etching, creating a space for light and shadow. It feels so intimate, like a glimpse into his inner world, you know? I look at those scratchy, confident lines that define his features, and I think about John wrestling with the plate, each line a decision, a revelation. I imagine him thinking about how to render his own gaze. There’s this sense of searching in the way he’s depicted his hair, like wisps of thought escaping his mind. It reminds me of Rembrandt's self-portraits, that same unflinching look, but with a modern, almost bohemian, twist. It's like John is saying, "Here I am, take it or leave it." Artists are always looking at one another's work, and sometimes even stealing from one another. That's how art evolves, through this ongoing conversation across time.