Een paar sloffen op een kleedje, B-1-1, 5 maart Possibly 1942 - 1945

Editor: This pencil drawing, titled "Een paar sloffen op een kleedje, B-1-1, 5 maart," which translates to "A pair of slippers on a rug, B-1-1, March 5th," created possibly between 1942 and 1945 by Cor van Teeseling, has a certain quietness about it. What stands out to you? Curator: The slippers, placed so deliberately on the checkered rug, function as powerful symbols of domesticity and perhaps even forced confinement. Notice the detail rendered in simple pencil strokes. How might those very ordinary slippers acquire a deeper meaning when viewed through the lens of the artwork's potential creation date? Editor: I hadn't thought about that! You're suggesting these everyday objects become symbolic of something more because of the time period? Curator: Precisely. During wartime, simple comforts become potent reminders of normalcy and safety – things greatly yearned for. The rug's checkered pattern almost feels like a game board, frozen mid-play, emphasizing immobility. Does it remind you of anything specific? Editor: Now that you mention it, I see it too. The pattern feels almost like a barrier or some kind of restriction. Given the artist was Jewish, and this was made during the Holocaust, does it have a personal tie to that, perhaps representing their living conditions or a desire to escape? Curator: It's possible. These objects, rendered with such care, serve as anchors to a life interrupted. Van Teeseling imbues mundane objects with weighty significance. So the piece functions as both a still life and a subtle, poignant narrative. What do you make of that? Editor: It's quite powerful how a seemingly simple drawing can carry such historical and personal weight. I'll definitely view still lifes differently from now on. Curator: Indeed. Everyday items rendered symbolic and carrying so much meaning - we can learn so much by simply taking time to look.