Self-portrait 

Max Liebermann, painted this self-portrait using oil paints, a material closely associated with the tradition of fine art. Liebermann's technique is clearly visible in the built-up texture of the paint, and the directionality of his brushwork. The paint's opacity gives the image a solidity, suggesting the weight of the artist's head. Notice how the strokes of color blend optically to create a lifelike impression of skin, hair, and fabric. Of course, oil paint also has a social history. By Liebermann’s time, paint was industrially manufactured and widely available, unlike the painstakingly handmade pigments of earlier eras. Artists like Liebermann could focus on the act of painting itself, without the time-consuming labor of material preparation. Thinking about the materials, making, and social context helps us to understand how Liebermann, like many artists, drew on the traditions of fine art, while also engaging with the possibilities afforded by the industrial age.