Zelfportret staand: B-1-1, 25 februai Possibly 1942

This pencil drawing, "Self-Portrait Standing," was made by Cor van Teeseling on February 25th. Notice the artist's direct gaze and the paper he holds. The act of holding a paper or scroll has roots in classical antiquity, symbolizing knowledge, learning, and the transmission of ideas. We see it in depictions of philosophers and scholars. Think of ancient Roman sculptures with figures holding scrolls, emblems of wisdom and authority. The self-portrait, by its very nature, is a powerful symbol, too. Artists through the ages have used it to explore their identity, emotions, and place in the world. The somber mood and the subject's gaze, looking at the viewer, can feel like a mirror reflecting our own anxieties. Ultimately, these symbols persist, echoing through time, continually re-emerging in new forms and contexts. The artist here grapples with themes as old as art itself.