Self-portrait of Dubreuil 1909

This dreamy photograph is a self-portrait by Pierre Dubreuil, and to me, it’s all about softening the edges. Dubreuil has this amazing way of using light and shadow to create a world that feels both familiar and slightly out of reach. There’s a softness to the image that makes you want to step inside, a little like a Degas. Look at how the light sort of caresses the side of his face, and the way the background melts into this hazy nothingness, it's less about capturing reality and more about evoking a mood, it's so painterly, and so sensitive. I love how his hand is resting in the foreground, almost like he's holding the key to this quiet, contemplative space. The way the light catches on his fingers is just so gorgeous and full of life, it reminds me of late work by Gerhard Richter, though through a very different medium. Ultimately, what I get from it is the idea of art as a way of seeing and feeling.