Zelfportret: B-1-1, 23 februari Possibly 1942

Editor: Here we have Cor van Teeseling's self-portrait, B-1-1, from possibly 1942. It's a pencil and graphite drawing. The mood strikes me as rather introspective. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Introspective is a good word! It's more than just a face staring back at us, isn’t it? It's as though van Teeseling is attempting to capture not just his likeness, but a feeling, a moment suspended in time. Look at the precision of the lines around the eyes, compared to the almost smudged, hazy background. What do you make of that contrast? It's like the figure is emerging from the shadows of a tumultuous time. 1942… the height of the war. Imagine creating something so delicate amidst all that darkness! Editor: So, the contrast in technique emphasises the inner turmoil maybe? I hadn’t thought of it that way. It's just… a drawing of a man! Curator: But isn’t it more? He’s pinning down the inexpressible! Look at how his gaze is directed slightly to the side – not confrontational, but watchful, pondering. Maybe drawing was a form of quiet resistance, a way to hold onto himself when the world outside was spinning out of control? Editor: I suppose creating something beautiful, even something simple, is always a statement of defiance somehow. Curator: Precisely! What looks like just a simple self-portrait suddenly unfolds into something far more complex. Art whispering truths that history books sometimes miss, don’t you think? Editor: It makes you wonder what was going on in his mind when he put pencil to paper. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure! I hope it opened a tiny door in your understanding. Keep pondering!