Architect Álvaro Siza Vieira’s Self-Portraits

Abstract

The Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira has an intense activity as a draughtsperson, allowing sensitive experience and creative thinking to be developed. Among the architectural sketches, we find his self-portrait drawings. From the face to the body, from the front or in profile (standing, sitting or lying down), Siza Vieira observes and draws himself into everyday life, with the organic fluidity of the line and the simplicity as a criterion and as an attribute. Here, the analysis of self-portrait drawings is organised in a paired matrix of physical parameters and cultural factors, with an approach to technical, artistic and compositional aspects of visual expression: i) trace quality; ii) pose and horizon line; iii) anatomy-physiognomy in the face proportion, iv) representation of flesh, skin and hair; v) resemblance-appearance; vi) facial and emotional expression; vii) the body as landscape; viii) the body as a character; ix) identity and specular duplication; and x) intersections between optical-haptic and gaze-gesture.