Frank Auerbach
1958
Charcoal and chalk on paper
76.8 x 56.5 cm
Frank Auerbach had to patch up this heavily worked self-portrait three times, but it does not diminish its strength and coherence. He was only 27 when he made this remarkable work, yet he has the countenance of an older man. It embodies his commitment to creating drawings that carry a weight of human experience. Auerbach made only three self-portraits during this period – two in charcoal and one in oil paint. He did not return to self-portraiture until he was in his seventies and considered his aging face to be a more interesting subject.
Private collection
© the artist, courtesy of Frankie Rossi Art Projects, London.