Art is the Solution

For one reason or another, self-portraits are massively popular in the world of art. There are many possible explanations for this. For obvious reasons, most people are deeply interested in themselves, and self-portraits eliminate the need for a willing and cooperative model. However, the genre of the self-portrait also offers unique opportunities for experimentation and introspection that are unavailable in other forms of art. That being said, some self-portraits are just plain weird and crazy. So, today I’m going to share some of the most unusual self-portraits I could find. Let’s dive in! The Desperate Man by Gustave Courbet - I have to be honest, this self-portrait holds a sort of panache that is almost unparalleled in art history. The Desperate Man captures the artist Gustave Courbet at the tender age of twenty-four. The self-portrait portrays Courbet in a moment of emotional turmoil. The artist stares wildly out at the viewer as he runs his fingers through his hair. His shirt bi...

Madonna of Bruges Photo Credit: Elke Wetzig Today, I want to talk about a sculpture that inspired my love of art and interest in art history. I saw the Madonna of Bruges when I visited Belgium thirteen years ago with my family. I was about twelve years old at the time, and I remember being totally enthralled by the piece (I actually tried to draw it at the time, which didn’t work out very well; I’m not much of an artist myself). The Madonna is so beautiful and so masterfully executed, it’s hard not to be dumbstruck when you see it for the first time. At its core, the sculpture showcases the best characteristics of Renaissance art: the beauty of the idealized human form, the carefully sculpted drapery, and the attention to the play of light and shadow across the surface of the marble. The long, oval-shaped face of the Madonna is particularly beautiful, expression conveying a mix of resignation and sadness. Like many contemporary depictions of the Madonna and Child, the piece fore...