Ludwig Meidner is today one of the most important representatives of Expressionism. His "Apocalyptic Landscapes", created from 1912 onwards, were later interpreted as premonitions of the First World War. In search of his religious identity, he created self-portrait-like depictions of Jewish prophets and biblical scenes in the 1920s. Meidner also captured countless intellectuals in psychologically intense portraits. As a result, the focus is on observing one's own physiognomy rather than on expressing one's sense of self. The self-portrait of 1963 was probably painted in Meidner's new apartment in Darmstadt. Here the working conditions were not so favorable, so that Meidner worked mainly at night. This explains the unusual shadows and the light and dark zones created by two different light sources from which Meidner models the head. The portrait is backed by an evenly colored background enlivened only by the brushstroke. The diagonals, which are taken up in the monogram, in the background, and as the border between shadow and light zones, enliven the composition.