Zelfportret: B-1-1, 7 februari Possibly 1942

Cor van Teeseling made this self-portrait on paper in February 1941, using graphite to capture his likeness. Look at the subtle gradations, how the light seems to wash over his face, shaping his features with gentle shadows. I wonder what it was like for him on that particular day? Did he look in the mirror for hours, carefully mapping out his features? Or did he allow the drawing to emerge intuitively? I've been there, wrestling with a line, trying to get it just right, only to realize that the struggle itself is part of the process. You can see the trace of the artist’s hand, each stroke carrying a sense of intention and feeling. There’s a raw honesty to it. It’s like he’s inviting us to see him, not just as a face, but as a person grappling with his own identity. Artists are constantly in conversation, borrowing and riffing off each other. That's how we push each other forward, always searching, always experimenting.