Self-portrait in Fur Cap 1918

Curator: Lovis Corinth, born in 1858, captures himself in a small etching titled "Self-Portrait in Fur Cap." What are your first thoughts? Editor: It feels raw, immediate. The lines are almost violently etched, creating this sense of vulnerability and also, frankly, a sort of bravado. Curator: Indeed. The fur cap, typically a symbol of status, feels almost like a mask here, doesn't it? Corinth often used self-portraits to explore the artist's role, and the psychological weight of that role. Editor: Absolutely. The materiality of the etching process itself contributes to this feeling. The acid biting into the metal, the physical labor...it mirrors the internal struggle, almost a self-inflicted wound. Curator: The marks become metaphors. I find it compelling how he uses shadow to suggest a deep, perhaps troubled, interior life. Editor: I agree. It's a portrait of a man grappling with something, both artistically and personally. I appreciate that rawness. Curator: It's a powerful piece, even in its small scale. Editor: Yes, a small, intense document of artistic labor and self-scrutiny.