Self Portrait 1931

Nikola Martinoski painted this self-portrait, and what strikes me is the layering of colors, the tan and browns, the smoky blues and blacks that build up this guy's face. I wonder what it was like for Martinoski, cigarette dangling, staring in the mirror, trying to get a grip on himself. I mean, really *see* himself. What does he make of this serious stare? I keep thinking about the materiality of the paint itself, the ways he mixes color, and how he used the brush to build up and carve out the shapes. I’m looking at the planes on his face, the sharp angles, and the overall feeling is like a subdued cubism. It reminds me of Picasso or Braque, but this is Martinoski’s own distinct take. The scarf, the cigarette, the gaze – it all adds up to an artist staking his claim in paint.