Zelfportret: B-1-1, 15 februari Possibly 1942

Cor van Teeseling made this self-portrait in pencil on February 15th, it seems. The drawing is so lightly rendered it’s as if he's sketching his own ghost, or perhaps trying to capture the ephemeral nature of identity itself. The delicate lines and pale hues create a sense of vulnerability, a whisper of a presence rather than a declaration. Look closely, and you can almost feel the pressure of the pencil on the paper, each stroke a tentative exploration of the artist’s own features. The shading around the eyes is especially poignant, suggesting a depth of introspection. It makes me think of artists like Lucian Freud, who also delved into the human form with unflinching honesty, though with a very different approach. Where Freud's paintings are bold and visceral, Teeseling's drawing is subtle and introspective, a quiet meditation on the self. Art is just a big conversation after all, no?