While I was studying 20th century music at the end of my music major at Bowdoin, I was shown (by someone, I have no idea who) a painting (i.e., on canvas, not a musical painting) that Shostakovich did, entitled “Self-Portrait”. Or at least I think it was called “Self-Portrait”, regardless that is what he considered the painting to be. As Shostakovich has for some time been one of my favorite composers (if not my favorite — his string quartets are among my favorite music ever written or played; Even now I am listening to the 4th movement of no. 11, and some of my fondest memories as a violist stem from the playing of these quartets), I sometimes go on long searches to find whatever book this came from or some reprint online or *something*. To date, though, I have never found it, and any search for “Self-Portrait” coupled with Shostakovich returns a series of his musical compositions which bare that name. If anyone out there knows anything about this painting, please post something about it here!

The painting is very somber, almost depressing. It depicts a man with very little definition walking away from the point of view of the painter. The color palate is very dark, as I remember. I would estimate that only 15% of the frame is taken up with the walking man and the rest by his surroundings on the street he is traveling down. This is how I remember the painting, though I never fully studied it and my memory could be very flawed. But, he’s definitely walking away from the point of view of the painter.

If I could remember who showed that painting to me (over 4 years ago now), I would just email him/her. My memory is not that good.

Cheers.