Schetsboek met 20 bladen 1882 - 1923

This sketchbook with 20 sheets was created by Willem Witsen. Its simple, rectangular form and tactile materiality invite us to consider the poetics of the everyday object. The cover, a study in muted tones, presents a field of gray-beige canvas. Close inspection reveals a subtle grid of woven threads, punctuated by the random imperfections of age. The marks and slight discolourations across the surface do not detract but rather enrich the visual experience. They act as signs of its prior life. The sketchbook represents the artist's engagement with the world, and this plain cover gives us a window into his working process. In this way, the sketchbook functions as both a practical tool and a conceptual piece, challenging us to find beauty in simplicity.