Self portrait 1895

This is Rupert Bunny’s self portrait, a drawing of a man rendered in sanguine pencil on paper. The drawing displays a delicate balance between precision and fluidity, achieved through the artist's masterful manipulation of line. Notice how Bunny uses hatching and cross-hatching to build up tone and volume, suggesting the contours of his face and the texture of his hair. The lines are not merely descriptive but are also expressive, conveying a sense of the artist's inner self. Bunny’s use of sanguine—a blood-red chalk—imparts a warmth to the portrait and a sense of immediacy. This choice of medium also connects the drawing to a historical lineage, as sanguine was favored by Renaissance masters for its capacity to capture the vibrancy of the human form. The application of this colour suggests a semiotic system of signs, linking the portrait to classical ideals of beauty. The artist’s gaze is direct and self-assured, inviting us to consider not only his physical likeness but also his identity as an artist.