Jurgis Preiss’ unfinished self-portrait, created in 1976, belongs to the Kemerovo period in the artist’s work, which lasted from 1956 to 1984. In the handwritten catalogue of works, compiled by Preiss himself, this work is listed as Self-portrait with a portrait of the mother. At that time Preiss became interested in small genres - still life paintings and landscapes, often used light colors. During the same period he began to paint portraits based on past events, memories and impressions. Preiss’ numerous self-portraits created during that period of work became a kind of personal diary for the artist.
Self-portrait of 1976 belongs to the later works, it is made in an expressive manner - with broad pastose strokes, that preserve the relief of the paint. The artist depicted himself in a red shirt, shoulders-deep. In the background, there is a white vase and one of his own works - Portrait of the mother, 1967. Researchers noticed the dominant motives of hopelessness in the picture, which reflected in the features of Preiss. The artist sacrificed the portrait likeness for the sake of precise conveying of his feelings and oppressed emotional state.
It is not known why Jurgis Preiss did not finish the painting. Researchers suggest that the artist simply lost interest in the self-portrait as soon as he succeeded in expressing his pain. According to another version, he, on the contrary, somehow realized futility of this work. In the last years of his life, Preiss wrote: “If only I could, I”d be out of here immediately. I feel like a tree planted into another soil. Often a kind of protest rises in me, and I want to give up everything and… I don”t know for how long I’m going to bear this! ’
Jurgis Preiss' self-portrait was handed over to the collection of the Kemerovo Regional Museum of Fine Arts in 2003 by Lyudmila Biryukova, his adopted daughter and heiress. In addition to this painting, the museum holds the bulk of the artist’s creative heritage - more than a hundred of paintings. Many of them are exhibited in the permanent exhibition.
