Zelfportret met pet in lineaire stijl Possibly 1941 - 1948

Curator: Here we have Cor van Teeseling’s "Self-Portrait with Cap in Linear Style," a pencil drawing that might date anywhere between 1941 and 1948. It’s now held at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Striking. The economy of line creates an intriguing distance. It's as if the artist is deliberately holding something back, even as he gazes directly at us. There is something melancholy there. Curator: That direct gaze certainly invites scrutiny. Van Teeseling offers a surprisingly unembellished depiction, reduced to near-caricature by its sparseness. We are presented with this stark simplicity; how does it communicate identity and the self? I feel a rawness; this work reveals something about the artist's frame of mind. Editor: Perhaps that rawness speaks to the historical context, dating from or soon after the Second World War. Rationing, anxieties, displacement – all reflected in the reduced means of production, both literal, in terms of available materials, and perhaps psychological. It speaks of that post-war austerity so prevalent at the time. Curator: Absolutely. I see echoes of a stripped-down reality, where symbolism might seem almost superfluous given the sheer, undeniable facts of existence. Even the cap becomes less about fashion and more about simple necessity or perhaps an indicator of a specific role or class. There is an underlying universality in these distilled forms; a reminder of the common humanity shared in the face of adversity. The choice of rendering himself in an understated linear form feels almost defiant when viewed against the expressionist styles that dominated during that period. Editor: Yes, defiance through quiet observation. There is a strength in resisting the urge toward theatrics and exaggeration and in representing an individual amidst collective turmoil. The museum's choice to preserve and display it also adds layers of meaning—it highlights the artistic response to societal challenges and makes personal reflections during a turbulent period more visible. Curator: Well said. It’s a piece that makes you think about the choices we make in how we represent ourselves, both as individuals and as a society. Editor: It reminds me that sometimes, the most powerful statements are the quietest ones.