Self-Portrait, Three Quarters to Left 

Editor: Here we have "Self-Portrait, Three Quarters to Left" by James Barry, a drawing of about 180 by 127 mm in size. It looks so fragile, doesn't it? So vulnerable. What do you think of this portrait? Curator: It feels like we've caught Barry in a moment of quiet contemplation, perhaps even self-doubt. Look at the way he renders himself with those glasses perched precariously on his head. A touch of vulnerability, wouldn't you say? Editor: Absolutely. It's like he's caught between worlds, looking both inward and outward. Curator: Exactly! And those intense lines, etching out his features. It is really raw, isn't it? Like an open wound. Does that resonate with you? Editor: It does! It's like he's dissecting himself on paper. Curator: A brave act of self-reflection. He lets us see him, really see him, in all his human complexity. A gift, I think. Editor: I agree, a truly powerful and enduring image.