Artwork
Self-Portrait
Self-Portrait is an ink print by Heinrich Tischler. It dates from 1921 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Heinrich Tischler’s self‑portrait, executed in 1921, is a drypoint print on light‑tan wove paper. The work exists as a proof, indicating it is among the earliest impressions taken from the etched plate. The image presents a close‑up of the artist’s face, rendered with stark, dark lines that contrast sharply with the paper’s pale surface.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait captures Tischler with untamed, curly hair and a dense beard, suggesting a candid, unidealised self‑representation. The intense, almost frantic line work conveys a sense of personal intensity, while the lack of decorative background focuses attention solely on the sitter’s features and expression.
Technique & Style
Created by incising the image directly into the paper with a drypoint needle, the print displays characteristic burr‑generated textures. The resulting lines appear rough, feather‑like and sharply defined, giving the surface a tactile quality. The limited tonal range of the drypoint medium emphasizes line over shading, reinforcing the work’s stark visual impact.
History & Provenance
Its date of 1921 places it within the post‑World‑I period of Tischler’s career, a time when he explored self‑portraiture as a means of personal documentation.
As a proof print, this impression was likely pulled shortly after the plate’s preparation, before any later editions were pulled. Its date of 1921 places it within the post‑World‑I period of Tischler’s career, a time when he explored self‑portraiture as a means of personal documentation. The paper’s condition and the early impression status contribute to its rarity within the artist’s limited print output.
Artist & collection
Self-Portrait Facing Left (Selbstbildnis nachlinks)
Dr. Ludwig Binswanger (Kopf Dr. Ludwig Binswanger)
Untitled![The Great Anxiety (Self-Portrait, in Three-Quarter Profile to the Right) (Die große Angst [Selbstportrat, Kopf im Halbprofil nach rechts]), by Walter Gramatté](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/walter-gramatte--the-great-anxiety-self-portrait-in-three-quarter-profile-to--7cce5ee2cd482abe-w320.webp)
The Great Anxiety (Self-Portrait, in Three-Quarter Profile to the Right) (Die große Angst [Selbstportrat, Kopf im Halbprofil nach rechts])
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Head of Dr. Robert Binswanger (the Student)
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Bildnis Dr. Gr.
The Painter
Sintesi di figura seduta (Synthesis of a Seated Figure)
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