Zelfportret (met hand) Possibly 1926

Dick Ket made this self-portrait with pencil on paper in 1926, rendering himself in sepia tones. I wonder what it was like for Ket to scrutinize his own face with such focused attention, searching for a likeness. Do you think he was pleased with what he found? His gaze is gentle, but searching. The hand supporting his chin—I think it's about touch, about a tenderness toward himself, toward his own existence. It makes me think about the relationship of drawing to photography, and how drawing, unlike photography, is always about touch. I love the way Ket’s sensitive lines capture the soft gradations of light on his skin. It reminds me of other artists like Lucian Freud, who use the human form to explore the complexities of emotion and identity. Ket shares with them an interest in the vulnerability of the self. Ultimately, this self-portrait is an invitation into an intimate encounter with the artist, so you can contemplate the shared human experience of trying to know oneself.