Eén jaar ben ik! 1939

Franz Ziegler made this small, intimate portrait in the Netherlands, on January 31st, 1939. It's called "Eén jaar ben ik!" Look at the texture, soft and delicate, capturing the baby's chubby cheeks and tiny features. You can almost feel the smoothness of the paper and the gentle touch of the artist’s hand as he worked on the tiny details. It feels like a tender moment frozen in time. The delicate strokes of the pencil create depth and volume, highlighting the baby's innocent expression. What was Ziegler thinking as he created this portrait? Was he thinking about his own life? This piece reminds me of other artists, like Käthe Kollwitz, who used drawing to express deep emotion. And, like Kollwitz, Ziegler’s work carries a quiet, poignant energy. Artists are constantly in conversation with one another, exchanging ideas across time. It's a dialogue that embraces ambiguity, inviting us to interpret and find new meanings.