Self-Portrait 1926

Periklis Vyzantios painted this self-portrait, in what looks like oil on canvas. There’s a real directness in the way he’s gone about it, with visible brushstrokes and a limited palette, mostly monochrome shades. This simplicity gets right to the core of what it means to make a painting – a process of layering and building up form with humble materials. Look at the texture in his white shirt. It’s built up with thick, opaque strokes, capturing the way light catches on the fabric. You can almost feel the weight of the paint, like the real weight of the shirt on his body. Notice that the background is quite dark, which makes the white pop. The way he has painted his fingers, tucked into his pocket, somehow gives me a clue to his whole attitude: understated, but self-assured. It reminds me of the work of Lucian Freud, who also was very matter-of-fact. Neither shy away from showing you how paint can capture the essence of a person. It's all about this ongoing, messy, beautiful conversation across time.