Portrait of an Artist

Mauricio Lasansky

Like many artists Mauricio Lasansky did self portraits throughout his long career, his first being done in 1943, at age 29. This portrait, done in 1961 when the artist was 47, used a number of different intaglio techniques and three plates to achieve the result he finally wanted.

This print was done in two editions, two states, each of 50, for a total number of 100 impressions. This is from the second edition with more color than the first. There was also a small edition of 8, from the first state.

In the late 1950s Lasansky again began to focus on a long series of portraits of his family, friends and inspirational figures.

The portrait does nothing to glamorize or idealize the subject, who is depicted with a hat and turtleneck sweater pressing in on a simple oval face, two eyes, a nose and moustach and two ears. A remarkably essentail image which anyone who knew the artist would recognize as being of him.