Self Portrait with Head in Hand 1927

Curator: Before us is Walter Gramatté’s Self Portrait with Head in Hand, a stark, unframed drawing held at the Harvard Art Museums. The artist, born in 1897, renders himself with remarkable intensity. Editor: Immediately, I see a raw vulnerability. The sketchy lines and the subject's tense posture speak volumes about inner turmoil; it makes me think about the pressure of existing as a young artist in the early 20th century. Curator: Indeed. Gramatté's material choices – the paper itself, the graphite – are simple, almost rudimentary, yet the expressive power is undeniable. We see the direct translation of thought to paper. Editor: And in that process, he confronts the viewer. His self-representation challenges notions of artistic composure, mirroring perhaps the broader social and political anxieties of the time. Curator: Absolutely. It’s a portrait deeply invested in exploring the labor of portraiture itself and the artist’s hand—both literally and figuratively—in its creation. Editor: It's a powerful glimpse into an artist grappling with his identity in a world on the brink of transformation. Curator: A testament to how humble materials can convey profound emotion. Editor: It leaves one pondering how much of oneself can be revealed through such spare means.