Man with Glasses (Self-Portrait) - Lovis Corinth

A striking self-portrait by Lovis Corinth, rendered in expressive lithographic crayon with a focus on the artist's distinctive spectacles.

This portrait by Lovis Corinth captures the artist with a direct, unvarnished gaze. Executed in lithographic crayon, the work demonstrates the artist's preference for expressive, gestural mark-making over academic precision. The heavy, dark strokes define the contours of the face and the circular frames of the spectacles, creating a sense of immediacy that is characteristic of his later graphic work.

Corinth, a central figure in the transition from late nineteenth-century naturalism to early twentieth-century German Expressionism, often used his own likeness to explore psychological states. In this study, the focus remains on the interplay of light and shadow across the features. The artist avoids unnecessary detail, allowing the texture of the crayon to suggest the weight of the jacket and the structure of the head. The composition is tight, placing the subject firmly in the centre of the frame, which forces an intimate engagement between the viewer and the sitter.

Throughout his career, Corinth produced numerous self-portraits, documenting his physical and artistic development. This particular work reflects his mature style, where the economy of line conveys significant emotional presence. The lack of background detail ensures that the viewer's attention is directed entirely toward the facial expression and the distinct, circular spectacles. It is a study in character, rendered with the confidence of an artist who had mastered the medium of drawing. The work is a fine example of the expressive potential of black and white media, showing how simple materials can capture a complex human presence without the need for colour or elaborate staging.