Self-portrait 

Here is a self-portrait made by Sirak Skitnik. Born in Ottoman, Bulgaria in 1883, Skitnik later became a well-known Bulgarian painter, art critic, and theater director. This expressive self-portrait gives us an emotional glimpse into the artist’s inner world. His piercing gaze meets ours from behind a mirror, creating a sense of both intimacy and distance. Adorned with leaves, he seems to merge with nature, hinting at a search for identity rooted in the natural world. During Skitnik's lifetime, Bulgaria underwent significant political and cultural change. As an intellectual, Skitnik was deeply involved in the artistic and social movements of his time. Skitnik played a key role in shaping Bulgarian modernism, and through his work he grappled with questions of national identity. Skitnik's self-portrait offers us a window into the soul of an artist navigating a world in flux.