The artwork, titled “Self-Portrait,” was created by Horace Pippin in 1944 and belongs to the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement. This genre classifies the artwork as a self-portrait, a personal representation of the artist by themselves.
The self-portrait depicts a man with a serious and contemplative expression. The face, rendered with simple yet evocative strokes, displays prominent features such as large, almond-shaped eyes, a broad nose, and full lips. The artist employs a palette dominated by warm browns and earth tones to create the facial features, contrasted against a dark suit and a plain blue background. The simplicity in the form and the boldness of color capture a raw and honest self-representation. At the bottom right of the artwork, Pippin’s signature, “H. PIPPIN,” is clearly visible, reinforcing the personal nature of this portrayal. The overall composition is direct, sincere, and imbued with a deeply introspective quality, characteristic of the Naïve Art movement’s unembellished and instinctive aesthetic.
