Self-Portrait 

Editor: This self-portrait by Armand Guillaumin, created with oil paint, is surprisingly intense. The subject’s hand is raised to his mouth, almost silencing himself, while his eyes lock onto the viewer. What can you tell me about what this image communicates? Curator: Guillaumin’s self-portrait pulses with symbolic tension. Notice the slightly averted gaze despite his direct stare: what story does this tell, filtered through the lens of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist uncertainty? Editor: Uncertainty? I hadn’t really thought of it that way. Curator: The hand covering the mouth is perhaps a motif representing introspection or self-censorship – a physical manifestation of an internal struggle, which ties in to Impressionism’s departure from academic dogma. The hat, could it be related to the social conformity of the era? Editor: Maybe, or perhaps just a convention of portraiture at the time? I’m also wondering about the swirling background. Does it represent the artistic ferment of the late 19th century? Curator: It could also suggest emotional turmoil or the chaos of modern life. He is surrounded by colours, shades and symbols; his style reflecting inner psychological landscape. And what of his other works? Do we see similar anxieties portrayed, similar codes used? Editor: That’s a really good point; looking at it in the context of his other pieces makes a lot of sense. It shows a narrative continuity. Curator: Exactly. He creates, disrupts, then recreates to discover who he is. Editor: I definitely see so many more layers of meaning in this painting now! Thank you.