Zelfportret van Karel de Nerée tot Babberich, met pet 1902

Editor: Here we have "Self-Portrait with Cap," a pencil drawing by Karel de Nerée tot Babberich from 1902. There's an immediacy to it; a kind of searching gaze, almost like he’s trying to figure something out about himself. What catches your eye? Curator: It’s lovely, isn’t it? To me, this drawing feels like a quiet moment of self-assessment, almost like catching your reflection unexpectedly. Notice the subtle play of light on his face, how the cap casts a shadow, drawing your attention to his eyes. There's an honesty there. I almost feel as though I am meeting him. Do you sense a certain vulnerability? Editor: Definitely. There's a tenderness, despite it being such a straightforward portrait. The slight asymmetry adds character. Curator: Exactly! He’s not idealizing himself, which is refreshing. There’s a raw, human quality, which perhaps invites introspection on our side too, regarding what we project out into the world, and the masks we put on daily to conform, to become, to survive. Think about it. What did society value back then? And here’s Karel, showing us himself as he truly is, at home in himself. Editor: That makes me consider the act of drawing itself. It is quite slow, right? As opposed to snapping a photo in an instant. Curator: Absolutely! There is time to really sit with one’s thoughts and capture, not just the external, but an inner landscape, as well. He really looked, really *saw* himself. Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way before. The work now seems incredibly intimate, not just because it’s a self-portrait, but because of the time invested in its making. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! Each artwork whispers a story. Sometimes, all we need is to pause and listen deeply.