Self Portrait by Edwin Dickinson, 1954

“The viewer sees the artist’s face from a low perspective, his head tilted and his mouth slightly open, as though he is about to speak. A strong horizontal element behind him implies an indistinct and ambiguous space while it also thrusts his head forward and creates drama. Lighting directs the viewer to the face, which is carefully formed with subtle passages of light and dark muted colors…. Here, the aging artist’s fierce expression is accompanied by a hint of subdued rage.”