Fragment of a smiling self-portrait at full length, detail 1904

Richard Gerstl made this Fragment of a smiling self-portrait sometime in the early 20th century, probably using oil on canvas. Look at the way he attacks the canvas with these energetic strokes, it’s all about gesture and process! The painting's surface is really worked, a mix of thin washes and thicker daubs. There’s this contrast between the carefully rendered details, like the eyes and that coy smile, and the raw, almost violent slashes of dark paint that obscure part of his face. I’m drawn to that obliterated area, it looks like the artist is literally erasing himself, or at least parts of himself. It's unnerving and kind of wonderful, isn't it? You see this same kind of psychological intensity, this willingness to confront uncomfortable truths, in the work of other expressionists like Egon Schiele, or maybe even Francis Bacon. It's all about pushing the boundaries of self-representation. It is an ongoing conversation.