Mabel Alvarez: Self-Portrait

Mabel Alvarez (American, 1891-1985): Self-Portrait, 1923 – (Oil on canvas, Alvarez Family Collection) The enigmatic Self-Portrait was a work of sober self-reflection and coloristic maturity. Alvarez’s image of herself is defined by broad areas of flat paint… The composition is simple, symmetrical, and focused - a lean description of her face in basic terms. The black line around the rim of her hat, which also appears on her shoulder, is a device to frame color…