Zelfportret en face: B-1-1, 12 februari Possibly 1942

Cor van Teeseling made this self-portrait on February 12th, using a humble pencil on paper. What strikes me first is the softness of the shading, almost like he’s gently coaxing the image out of the page. You can almost feel the give and take as he searches for his own likeness. The texture is incredibly smooth, with subtle gradations creating depth. Look closely at how he renders the hair, each strand carefully delineated yet blending seamlessly into the whole. There's a lovely contrast between the detailed upper portion of the face and the ethereal quality of the mouth. It's as though he's still discovering himself, a work in progress, which, as any artist will tell you, is the whole game. It reminds me a little of Lucian Freud’s drawings, though softer, more tentative. It's about seeing, feeling, and capturing the fleeting moment of self-recognition.