Zelfportret met pet: B-1-1, 16 februari Possibly 1942

Curator: Before us, we have Cor van Teeseling's "Self-Portrait with Cap: B-1-1, 16 February," potentially from 1942, currently residing at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My first thought is one of vulnerability. The sparse lines and delicate shading emphasize the fragility and exposed nature of the self, especially noticeable around the eyes. Curator: Yes, and let us analyze those lines more formally. The use of pencil in this drawing, with its precise and controlled strokes, reveals an exercise in reduction. He has carefully distilled his image, focusing on contour rather than volume to create form. Editor: That simplification is striking. But I find the cap more significant, a motif offering many symbolic layers. Hats often represent roles and identities assumed by people in various settings or moments. Is he concealing or revealing something through the deliberate inclusion of that detail? Curator: I would agree, the cap’s presence directs the formal gaze. It creates an apex of visual interest, drawing attention to the composition's central focus: the face. But observe how the spare details around the cap create a balanced formal composition without detracting attention. Editor: Indeed. And what does it signal for van Teeseling himself? It’s the early 1940s. The historical context would make me think it offers him a sense of comfort and stability. Perhaps it represents some occupation during an unsettling period? Curator: Potentially, we must acknowledge the interplay of artistic technique and the subject's identity within that historical framework. Consider that the artist’s choice of a minimal medium like pencil echoes that somber reality. Editor: Ultimately, I perceive van Teeseling in his time, caught in the precarious moment that exists for any of us as humans but all the more when that portrait was made. A potent expression, regardless of the "facts". Curator: A perfect example of how both form and symbolic context blend. They work together to offer insight into both artistic intent and the artist’s inner condition.