Carel Willink (1900-1983)

Self-Portrait

Carel Willink (1900-1983)

Self-Portrait

1926 | drawing | 45 × 30 cm

This simple self-portrait with monocle was made by Carel Willink, famous for his eerie Magic Realism, before he settled on his signature style.

Born in 1900, Willink decided to become a painter after uncompleted studies in medicine and architecture. This self-portrait was made in 1926, the year he went to Paris for a study trip and encountered the neoclassical work produced by Pablo Picasso at the time. Very simple line drawing, like in this self-portrait, was thought to be the purest classical medium. It was not until the 1930s that Willink developed his own unique style, which became known as Magic Realism.


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