Self-Portrait 1937

Joan Miró made this self-portrait with charcoal and pastel, probably over a few sittings. The image seems to emerge from a haze of marks, with soft lines and smudges gradually building the form. It’s like the picture is slowly finding itself. I can imagine Miró hovering over the paper, coaxing his own image into being. His eyes are so arresting. See how the charcoal circles around and around to suggest the shape of the eye. Then he has added these star-like shapes, right in the center of the iris. It gives the impression that his eyes are constantly moving and seeing. It reminds me of Picasso’s portraits, but in Miró’s own language. Painting a portrait is not just about capturing a likeness; it is a conversation with oneself. Miró’s mark-making becomes a tool for self-discovery, each line, and shade revealing a facet of his inner world. Like all artists, Miró is in dialogue with his heroes, finding his own place in the history of mark-making. It’s about pushing at the boundaries of expression, one portrait at a time.