Portret van een onbekende schilder met baret 1903

This is H. Berthier's etching of an unknown painter with a beret. The print is a portal into the world of artistic identity and its representation. Notice how the artist chooses to depict a fellow painter. The choice of subject raises questions about the role of artists in society and how they see themselves. The beret itself becomes a signifier of artistic identity, alluding to a shared cultural understanding of what it means to be an artist. Berthier captures the emotional resonance of a creative life, hinting at the struggles and triumphs inherent in the artistic journey. Consider the male gaze, often dominant in portraiture. Here, it shifts subtly, as Berthier portrays a fellow male artist, creating a kind of self-reflexive commentary on the act of representation itself. The work invites us to reflect on the narratives we construct around identity, profession, and the gaze.