Zelfportret: B-1-1, 27 februari Possibly 1942

Here’s a self-portrait made with pencil on paper, by Cor van Teeseling. I wonder if it was done quickly, in one sitting? The artist captures himself in what seems like a moment of introspection, a quiet, observational state. You can see the marks, the hatching, the building up of tone to create the planes of the face. It makes me think about the process of looking, really looking, at yourself, and trying to capture something of your inner state. It reminds me of other artists who have used self-portraiture as a means of self-exploration, like Van Gogh or Rembrandt. Each mark is a search, a question. A line becomes not just a boundary but an expression of thought and feeling. It makes you wonder, what was he thinking about when he made this? Maybe about life? Maybe about art?