Zelfportret Possibly 1949

Curator: Here we have Johan G. Wertheim's "Zelfportret," possibly from 1949. It’s a self-portrait rendered in pencil. What strikes you first? Editor: Well, the eyes. There's such a piercing directness to them. It’s as though he’s trying to read your thoughts, or perhaps reflect some unspoken truth back at you. Curator: That intensity is balanced by a hint of a smile, almost mischievous. Wertheim's capturing not just his likeness, but a sense of his own inner complexity, wouldn’t you say? Editor: Absolutely. The sketch itself feels quite raw. The lines are almost nervous, hesitant, and vulnerable—qualities amplified by the simplicity of the pencil on paper. It brings a real intimacy to the piece. Curator: And in choosing pencil, is he hinting at the ephemerality of self-perception? How identity shifts and blurs? The medium reflects the subject, perhaps. It's as much a record of seeing as being seen, isn’t it? Editor: Yes, definitely. And look at how he uses the hatching technique to create depth and shadow around his eyes and the hollows of his cheeks. Those shadowed areas read almost like a symbolic mask, obscuring parts of himself even as he reveals others. He’s not giving us everything. Curator: No, and I appreciate that restraint. The direct gaze coupled with that withholding creates an enduring sense of intrigue. One wonders what the story is behind those eyes. Editor: Exactly! You’re left feeling that there’s so much more to him, layers upon layers that the sketch can only hint at, making us want to seek out and discover his secrets. Curator: It certainly stays with you, this modest pencil drawing. Wertheim achieved something powerful with such simple means. Editor: It is more than meets the eye at first, a deeper more involved study that seems very delicate at the same time, as it offers insight to his internal dialogue with himself.