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@mdstamper.bsky.socialOct 18, 2026, 8:27 PM

“Self Portrait” by M. Zena Lesser (American) – Oil on panel / – Cape Cod Museum of Art (Dennis, Massachusetts) #WomenInArt #MZenaLesser #CapeCodMuseumofArt #art #artText #arte #WomanArtist #WomensArt #CapeCod #SelfPortrait #CapeCodArt #oilpainting #AmericanArt #AmercanArtist #Lesser #womenartists

“Self Portrait” presents American artist M. Zena Lesser seated with her chin resting on one hand, meeting us with a thoughtful, confident gaze. Her dark hair is swept back, framing expressive eyebrows, dark eyes, and softly colored lips. A light low-cut lavender top crosses her shoulders and chest, with a flash of an orange belt above a loose black skirt. Her other hand rests against her hip, while her legs extend diagonally across the foreground. The informal pose suggests a moment of quiet reflection, yet her direct gaze gives the portrait an unmistakable sense of self-assurance. Lesser paints her face with relatively careful modeling while allowing the rest of the composition to become increasingly expressive. Warm beiges and pinks shape her skin, while broad strokes of charcoal and gray define her skirt. Behind her, patches of turquoise, green, cobalt blue, red, and yellow mingle in a loosely constructed background that suggests no recognizable setting. The vigorous brushwork and contrasting colors reveal her interest in abstraction, even as the figure remains firmly recognizable. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Lesser studied at Massachusetts College of Art and Boston University, where she earned a master’s degree in art education. Working professionally as M. Zena Lesser, she explored portraits, landscapes, still lifes, and abstract compositions, becoming particularly associated with Abstract Expressionism. She also taught art and received recognition from the Copley Society of Boston in 1985. Lesser spent much of her artistic career on Cape Cod, where the changing landscape became an important subject in her work. Featured in the museum’s 2025 “Recent Acquisitions” exhibition, this self-portrait offers an especially personal glimpse of an artist whose work moved confidently between representation and abstraction. Here, Lesser is both the subject and the creator, presenting herself with the same expressive color and energy that defined her art.