Zelfportret en face: B-1-1, 19 februari Possibly 1942

Cor van Teeseling made this self-portrait in pencil on February 19th, sometime around 1941. It's all about process, those scribbly marks working to define the face. Look closely, and you'll see how the surface is alive with these small, nervous lines, almost like a continuous thread weaving the image together. The pencil strokes build up the shadows, create volume, and suggest a kind of restless energy. Notice how the artist uses line and tone to create a soft, almost hazy effect, which adds to the introspection of the piece. The mouth and eyes are particularly good, they suggest that he’s a bit worried, lost in thought or maybe both. This piece reminds me of work by Jasper Johns. Both artists use simple, everyday subjects and render them in ways that emphasize the act of seeing and the physicality of the medium. Ultimately, it's about letting the process guide the way, allowing for ambiguity and multiple readings.