Self-Portrait 1959

This painting, a self-portrait by Fernando Botero, looks like it was made in a flurry of activity, with thick paint applied in visible strokes. The muted palette enhances the sense of earthiness and immediacy. It's as though Botero is grappling with his own image, working through the process of seeing and becoming. The materiality of the paint is key here. It's not just color; it's texture, weight, and presence. The strokes are loaded with paint, creating a surface that is both tactile and visually rich. Look at the way he models his face with these gestural marks. The way he's daubed the paint, it's almost brutal. But then there's a gentleness in the modelling of the cheek. It reminds me a little of Philip Guston's late work, where the materiality of the paint and the directness of the marks become as important as the subject matter. In the end, this is a piece that embraces the messiness of art-making, inviting us to see the world, and ourselves, in a new light.