Zelfportret en face met strik, mei 1942 1942 - 1945

Editor: Here we have Cor van Teeseling's "Self-Portrait en face with bow tie, May 1942," a pencil drawing. I’m struck by its quiet intensity; it’s almost photographic in its realism, yet retains a softness due to the pencil medium. What strikes you about the visual construction of this portrait? Curator: The work compels close visual analysis, doesn’t it? Notice first the geometric solidity. The head is near the center of the composition. The face itself echoes similar geometry through carefully applied gradation. There is the slightest amount of shadowing above the plane created by the artist's brow line, with subtle blending under the bridge of the nose. Does the subtle application invite an element of scrutiny, do you think? Editor: Yes, the gradations do pull you in. The artist’s expression seems neutral, but the details create an awareness in the viewer, drawing attention to the bow tie. It’s neatly presented and central to the artist's presence. What can we learn from the artist's gaze? Curator: Indeed. The gaze presents the most challenging aspect. Is it engagement? Dismissal? Defiance? Note the contrast between the artist's almost severe face and the frivolity suggested by the presence of the bow tie. Van Teeseling's approach, however, isn't focused on a radical destabilization of the established structure. Rather, he creates subtle tensions by operating within those frameworks, so there is only minor distortion to what already exists. Editor: That’s fascinating. Seeing how the bow tie creates a kind of playful tension within the seriousness of the gaze offers an unexpected interpretation. Curator: Precisely. Understanding that dynamic allows one to reconsider their initial presumptions.