Schetsboek met 11 bladen 1827 - 1891

Editor: We’re looking at a sketchbook containing eleven pages by Johannes Bosboom, dating from sometime between 1827 and 1891. It’s made with mixed media on paper, and is held in the Rijksmuseum collection. My first thought is how ordinary this object is—it’s not a painting destined for the salon, but a simple working sketchbook. What strikes you when you consider a piece like this? Curator: It makes me consider the politics of display, actually. A sketchbook is, as you said, typically private, a place for experimentation. To see it here in the Rijksmuseum invites questions about the role of institutions in shaping artistic legacy. Is the display meant to offer intimacy with the artist, or perhaps to elevate the mundane to the level of art? Editor: That's a good point. So, is it the museum, more than Bosboom's intent, that frames it as something "worthy" of our attention? Curator: Precisely. Think about the rise of landscape painting during that period and the growing interest in the Dutch countryside as a source of national identity. How might Bosboom's sketches have contributed to or reflected those larger cultural trends? These weren't intended for the public eye, yet now, displayed this way, they participate in shaping perceptions of Dutch landscape. What do you think that perception is, from what you can observe in it? Editor: I would assume a tranquil vision of the Dutch landscape because, at that time, the country became a peaceful nation compared to others, maybe Bosboom captures its spirit and serenity. I can understand the cultural shift that helped build that image for the common eye. Curator: Yes, and perhaps consider too that these landscapes, now canonized, are also inherently constructed through this political lens and our own biases of history. I'm glad that we were able to delve into this subject together today! Editor: Me too! I will see art differently from now on!