Zelfportret: B-1-1, 2 februari Possibly 1942

Curator: Right, let’s turn our attention to this delicate drawing: "Zelfportret: B-1-1, 2 februari," which roughly translates to "Self-Portrait: B-1-1, February 2nd.” It’s believed to be a self-portrait by Cor van Teeseling, potentially from 1942, rendered in pencil on paper. It’s now part of the Rijksmuseum collection. Editor: It has this… fleeting, melancholic quality. All those soft pencil strokes almost dissolve before your eyes, as if the man in the drawing is fading away. Curator: Yes, the sketch-like quality invites contemplation. The artist’s gaze is introspective, carrying an emotional weight that the light pencil work doesn't quite diminish. This kind of expression goes back centuries. The symbols of an image can also reflect something about a society’s inner state, the collective psyche. Editor: Definitely a personal statement rather than a record of the likeness. And it feels like that raw vulnerability, that openness is intensified through the amateur rendering. What looks initially simple somehow conveys a very profound humanity. Like it captures not only physical likeness but this inner state. Curator: There’s a definite directness and vulnerability, you’re right. Consider, too, the possible date, 1942, smack in the middle of World War II. Self-portraits in such periods can become silent testimonies. Even if the intent was simply practice, it inherently reflects those strained, uneasy times. Editor: Oh, it’s difficult to not bring that knowledge into one’s reading, isn’t it? What does it mean to simply… exist… and capture that fleeting self, against the background of total catastrophe? Makes this feel not just poignant but deeply meaningful. Curator: Absolutely. These portraits become more than likenesses; they become documents, layered with cultural and historical meaning. It's not just the skill, it's also about understanding cultural memory and its place in these artifacts. Editor: I agree entirely. It reminds you that art, even a quiet pencil sketch, is almost always speaking of and to its own time. You almost get this impression the self-portrait wasn't complete and will eventually continue as the expression and self will become clear. Curator: Precisely. Thank you. An apt final word that allows each observer to see what could happen with an individual expression in society. Editor: Cheers. This will linger with me, it already is.