Gallery Edition – Selbstportrait by Carl Zewy – 44×49 Interior Architectural Study

Curatorial Narrative Carl Zewy’s “Selbstportrait” occupies a peculiar position within the canon of modern portraiture, its undated creation a deliberate affront to the linear progression of artistic innovation. Instead, Zewy’s technique characterized by impasto brushstrokes that build upon one another like stratigraphic layers bespeaks a fascination with the materiality of paint itself. This tactile quality is further underscored by the predominantly dark palette, punctuated by flashes of brown and red courtesy of the fur trim adorning the subject’s attire. The overall effect is one of almost palpable density, as if the very fabric of the painting has been woven from the shadows themselves.When scaled to 44×49 inches, “Selbstportrait” assumes a spatial presence that is at once commanding and introspective. The chromatic structure, already somber in tone, deepens to an almost funereal quality, imbuing the surrounding environment wi