Zelfportret met portret in pupil: B-1-1, 19 februari Possibly 1942

Editor: We’re looking at “Self-Portrait with Portrait in Pupil: B-1-1, 19 February,” potentially from 1942, a pencil drawing by Cor van Teeseling, currently at the Rijksmuseum. What immediately strikes me is how intensely personal it feels, like a window into the artist's inner world. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Indeed. Consider the eye itself—a potent symbol across cultures, representing perception, awareness, and the soul's window. But the artist places *another* portrait *within* the pupil. A reflection within a reflection. What cultural echoes do you perceive in this layering? Editor: It almost feels like an endless loop, doesn't it? A self-awareness pushed to an extreme. I mean, is he suggesting we are always looking at ourselves, even when we think we're looking outward? Curator: Precisely! And that’s a theme that has haunted artists for centuries. The gaze holds power. Think of the all-seeing eye motif prevalent in religious and state imagery. What does it mean, then, when the artist turns this symbol inward, upon himself? Editor: It feels…vulnerable. Acknowledging not just observation, but also self-scrutiny, especially with the historical context of 1942; potentially a time of fear. The smaller portrait looks somehow different than the main figure; it could represent memory, or how he wishes to be seen. Curator: Well observed! And how do you interpret the medium? The intimacy of a pencil drawing on paper versus, say, an oil painting? Editor: Pencil feels so immediate, so direct. It gives a sense of unfiltered thought, doesn't it? Curator: It absolutely does. It strips away the grandeur and focuses on the essential. So, considering everything, what new interpretations do you think might emerge? Editor: I’m starting to see this as a profound statement about identity, about how we perceive ourselves versus how we wish to be perceived, all filtered through the lens of personal experience and cultural memory. Curator: Precisely! Art unlocks such depth and intrigue through its interplay of visual elements. And by exploring cultural memories and the layers of symbols.