Self-Portrait with Hat, 1919
Karl Schmidt-Rottluff (German, 1884-1976)

A founding member of Die Brücke (The Bridge), Karl Schmidt-Rottluff painted this powerful self-portrait in Berlin, where he had just settled after being discharged from army service in World War I. The jarring colors, outlined in black reflect the artist's desire to project his inner, emotional self. The angular, fragmented facial features suggest that Schmidt-Rottluff was familiar with Cubism and African wood sculpture.