Zelfportret met pet: B-1-1, 22 februari Possibly 1942

Curator: At first glance, this drawing projects an air of quiet introspection, a moment captured in the delicate lines. Editor: Indeed. Let’s delve into the particulars of the work. What we have here is Cor van Teeseling’s “Self-portrait with cap: B-1-1, 22 February,” possibly from 1942. The medium, quite simply, is pencil on paper. Curator: I notice the stark economy of line. It's fascinating how the artist, through the barest means, can conjure form and shadow. What statement could this potentially make on artistic creation at the time? Editor: Certainly! Considering the possible date, 1942, one can not help but to consider the impact and effect of the climate of German occupied Netherlands. I see an artist using the immediate means at hand, and choosing to record their own existence. Here are no glorious proclamations but instead an intimate rendering born of constraint and resilience, not least from having his work classified as 'degenerate art' at that time. Curator: This limited color palette also accentuates the simplicity of life, but it simultaneously enhances the emotive strength of the drawing; those eyes following the viewer's every step! There's such a haunting and vulnerable quality about it. Editor: I agree, it appears like we have stumbled upon the elemental vulnerability of existing captured simply using readily available materials, elevating everyday labor into a poignant self-affirmation in defiance of suppression and creating new dimensions in self representation and memory, don't you think? Curator: Undeniably, the power of such simplicity—a self-portrait, so minimally rendered, speaks volumes. Thank you. Editor: My pleasure. Hopefully we've revealed some interesting facts for our listeners too!