Self Portrait in a Convex Mirror

The first two elements in the piece that stand out are the mirror/frame and the image that the mirror is reflecting. What is most interesting is the difference in perspective that both elements represent. The first is supposed to be a 'realistic' depiction of a mirror and its frame and the second is supposed to reflect a 'convex' (i.e. distorted) perspective of an image, which is supposed to be the artist's self-portrait. Of course, the image in the mirror itself lends itself to more observation than the difference in perspectives. For instance, we can notice it appears that the artist's head is supposed to be the center of the image (within an image). However, this center must be further scrutinized as it is not the "traditional" straight-forward center. The artist's face is clearly much lighter than the rest of the image, both within the frame and outside of it. Furthermore, the head is not directly facing the viewer, as it is actually slightly angled to our right. Such a defiance of what is 'expected' is more evident, and characterizes well, the rest of the image within the frame.

There is clearly some form of perspective in light of the fact that the head acts as the center. However no "straight" geometric lines were used. In fact, it appears as though the use of curved lines were used to create the image, which was done clearly because the mirror is convex. Because of this curved line perspective model, the hand is the largest part of the image since it juts out. The fact that the bottom part of the image is corroborates the idea that the artist made an interpretation of 'Cartesian Perspectivalism'. The distorted image follows not a straight, 'ideal' perspective; but rather, an angular, curved, and 'unrealistic' type.

Lastly, we know that the image in the mirror is a reflection; but more importantly, it's the reflection of a reality that is within the confines of a painting. This multi-dimensional picture, indeed, tries to play with the idea of what reality is.