Zelfportret 1898 - 1938

This self-portrait, by Abraham de Miranda, captures the artist's likeness in delicate lines and subtle shading. You can almost feel Miranda looking back at you. The etching feels intimate, like a whispered conversation. What was he thinking as he gazed into the mirror, etching his own image onto the plate? Maybe he paused, his hand hovering over the acid bath, contemplating the transience of life, the permanence of art. The fine lines of the etching create a gentle, contemplative mood. There's a softness to the lines, particularly around the eyes and mouth, that suggests a vulnerability, a quiet self-awareness. Like Rembrandt before him, Miranda uses the etching needle to probe the depths of his own being. It's like he's asking himself, "Who am I? What do I see when I look within?" And in the act of creating, he invites us to ask ourselves the same questions. This portrait reminds us that artists are in an ongoing conversation, inspiring one another's creativity through time.