Notities 1906 - 1945

Curator: Here we have “Notities,” which translates to “Notes.” It’s a mixed-media drawing on paper, incorporating ink and pencil, dating from between 1906 and 1945. It is currently held in the Rijksmuseum collection. Editor: Oh, it's like stumbling upon a beautifully cluttered mind! I immediately get a feeling of intimacy, seeing these almost whispered thoughts jotted down. The different pressures of the pencils, that pale blue ink—you can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the page, lost in thought. Curator: The intimacy you feel is apt. We believe this is a page from an artist’s sketchbook. Consider that it contains various notations: addresses, names – “Leidse Rijnkaade 25,” “Carpaccio 1490-1522” and little sketched elements, reflecting daily life, artistic concepts, potential projects – really fragments of the creator's world. The Rijksmuseum treats such personal artefacts with exceptional reverence, understanding their important contribution to art history as a whole. Editor: It’s wild how such an ordinary thing, a discarded piece of ephemera, offers a tantalizing look behind the curtain. You sense a creative life in progress – not something polished and presented, but messy, real. I find this rawness far more appealing than many finished works. It whispers “process”. Curator: Exactly, and I appreciate how it reflects shifts in the cultural perception of art. Before, the finished work was the ultimate aim, obscuring the origins and processes which went into them. The art world increasingly cherishes insight into an artist’s methods of enquiry. Sketchbooks are primary sources of insight in understanding not only the single artist but, indeed, cultural development more broadly. Editor: You know, looking closer, the mix of text and graphite smudges almost resembles a constellation. It’s as though thoughts themselves are trying to find a pattern, trying to resolve into a coherent whole. What was going through the creator's mind at that time? I just find it intriguing. Curator: The beauty is we’ll probably never know for sure, but this snapshot of an evolving creative landscape sparks countless stories, theories, speculations…It certainly humanizes artistic practice. Editor: Absolutely, I leave this artwork feeling strangely nourished and curiously energized. A conversation with someone I've never met! Curator: Yes, it prompts a reflective look at the social contexts of art appreciation, highlighting our increasingly granular understanding.