Reflections/Refractions: Self-Portraits in the Twentieth Century

At least since the Renaissance, artists have created wonderful images of themselves. Some self-portraits are the equivalent of a painter's "signature," while others were inspired by the need to establish social status or gain a commission. In the twentieth century, however, self-representation turned inward, becoming a means by which artists sought to navigate passageways of the mind. In Reflections/Refractions, some of the greatest modern artists-including Andy Warhol, Edward Hopper, Grant Wood, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Jacob Lawrence, Louise Bourgeois, David Hockney, Alexander Calder, and Alex Katz-use sinuous line and gorgeous color to trace the intricacies of their personalities, whether dark and gloomy or bright and fanciful. The book is at once a catalog of twentieth-century self-portraits in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, and an exploration of how modern artists view themselves and the world. Eighty color illustrations-drawings and paintings-are accompanied by lively and informative captions, making this volume an endlessly fascinating book for the coffee table and library.