Self-Portrait

Morris Kantor, Self-Portrait, 1918, oil on linen, 22 ¹⁄₈ x 18 in. (56.1 x 45.7 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Morris Kantor, 1976.146.1

Artwork Details

Title: Self-Portrait
Artist: Morris Kantor
Date: 1918
Location: Not on view
Dimensions: 22 ¹⁄₈ x 18 in. (56.1 x 45.7 cm.)
Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. Morris Kantor
Mediums: oil
Mediums Description: oil on linen
Classifications: Painting
Subjects: Portrait male — Kantor, Morris — head
Portrait male — Kantor, Morris — self-portrait
Occupation — art — painter
Object Number: 1976.146.1
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1976.146.1

Artwork Description

Morris Kantor completed this self-portrait in 1918, after only two years of art school. The simple geometric forms and broad lines of this early work reveal his initial interest in modern art movements such as cubism. The parallel bands of color around the head create what Kantor called a “corrugated” effect, giving the work a feeling of movement. The figure resembles an African mask, but still portrays Kantor’s own angular face and prominent nose. He turned to realistic depictions by the 1930s, but the combination of primitive and progressive techniques in this self-portrait reflect Kantor’s desire to experiment with various styles.