Zelfportret: B-1-1, 23 februari Possibly 1942

Editor: This is Cor van Teeseling's pencil drawing "Self-portrait: B-1-1, 23 February," possibly from 1942, currently housed at the Rijksmuseum. The delicacy of the lines gives it a melancholic air. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: Given the possible date of 1942, and the location – the Rijksmuseum - it is worth looking at the sociopolitical context of the Netherlands at the time. What do you know about that time period in the Netherlands? Editor: Well, 1942... that would be during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, right? Curator: Precisely. Knowing that, consider how the act of creating a self-portrait during wartime could be interpreted. Is it merely a personal exercise, or does it take on a larger meaning, maybe even an act of silent resistance? What does it say, to you, about the role of the artist in times of oppression? Editor: That makes me reconsider the quietness I felt earlier; maybe it's not melancholy, but defiance? An assertion of individual identity when so much was being suppressed? Curator: It's definitely a valid reading. The scarcity of details may also be interpreted as an expression of that moment. Furthermore, in considering the public role of art, was this self-portrait ever exhibited publicly during or shortly after the war? How might its reception have differed depending on the political climate and audience? Editor: I hadn't thought about the conditions of its display! It really reframes how one sees it. Thanks! Curator: Exactly. It encourages a broader understanding of artistic creation within the complex framework of historical circumstances and power dynamics.