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Jake Saunders
Self-Portrait as Jesse Lauriston Livermore on November 28, 1940
Acrylic, vinyl and India ink on paper
84" x 42"
This work titled Self-Portrait as Jesse Lauriston Livermore on November 28, 1940 by Jake Saunders
is part of a series of works that deal with our recent economic setbacks in conjunction with biography and autobiography.
In this series, Saunders treads his characteristic stomping ground,
amalgamating modern non-fiction tragedy and deeply personal confession.
In a very blunt and concise manor, Saunders compares his own psyche and environment to that of Wall Street icon,
Jesse Lauriston Livermore, known as "The Great Bear of Wall Street".
During the early twentieth century, Livermore was a self-made millionaire and is considered a financial genius.
He made massive amounts of money while others were losing fortunes in the late twenties.
Later he lost a significant amount of his money, deemed himself a failure and fell into a deep depression.
On November 28, 1940 Livermore committed suicide leaving a fortune of over $5 million.
In this work Saunders explores professional success and its effects on self-worth, economic effects on society,
one's sense of self-worth and the absurdity our self-imposed standards.
