Self-portrait

The image represents the full-face portrait of the bearded painter himself. The empty background as well as the pronounced contour make the figure project from the background plane. The planar quality of the figure is emphasized by the absence of colors and the presence of the rough pencil strokes. Reproduction of crayon and pencil drawings using ink printing on paper. The frontal view and self-portrait of the bearded artist. The bare background and the accentuated contour help the figure stand out from the ground plane. The flatness of the figure emphasized by the absence of color and the scratchiness of the pencil lines. The most captivating feature is the use of the asymmetrical depiction of the eyes. The right eye is sharply drawn with its penetrating gaze, while the left eye melts away into the dark depths of a mysterious shadow. At the lower-right edge of the beard, Tagore’s distinct Bengali signature along with date markings are visibly integrated into the composition. Tagore does not use gradients but uses a combination of dense cross-hatching, scribbles, and very primitive pencil strokes. The texture and darkness of the background create an aura of contrast around the face, making the face and beard glow in the negative space.