Cadetten-almanak 1901

This is a Cadetten-almanak made in 1901 by Broese & Comp., it's a book, an object like a painting in that it required labor and expertise and decision making. I'm really drawn to the portrait here, with its delicate lines and faded tones. It’s like the ghost of someone important is trapped inside these pages. It reminds me that making art is a way of conjuring. I can imagine the person making the portrait was thinking of honoring someone; capturing their likeness, their spirit, with the utmost care and attention to detail. You can almost feel the weight of the medals and the sense of duty in the sitter's expression. This makes me think about the act of translation. The portrait, made through careful strokes and considered choices, becomes a kind of language in itself. It reminds me that making art is always an act of communication. Artists are always in conversation with the past, grappling with their own moment, and dreaming of the future, all at once.