Self-Portrait 1973

Sam Francis, born in California, made this self-portrait. The piece is a stark, monochromatic work on paper. Francis was a decorated war veteran. Injured during his service as a pilot in World War II, Francis spent several years in hospitals recovering, and it was during this time that he began to paint. This self-portrait, with its dark outlining, has a somber tone. We can consider how Francis’s experience of trauma might be present in this piece. There’s a depth to the gaze that seems to be looking both inward and outward. The marks surrounding the head might evoke an environment or perhaps a sense of internal chaos. It seems to me that this piece transcends the simple depiction of the artist's likeness. Portraits are often a play between public and private identity, and here, we are invited to consider the relationship between Francis’s inner world and his external presentation. We’re left to sit with the emotional weight of the work and ponder the complexities of identity after war.