Schetsboek met 40 bladen vervaardigd in Woerden en Gouda c. 1869 - 1870

This sketchbook with 40 pages was created by Cornelis Springer in Woerden and Gouda between 1869-1879 and 1865-1826. Springer was working during a time of great social change. While the Netherlands saw a gradual expansion of rights, it was also a period defined by rigid social structures. This sketchbook may have served as a personal space for Springer to explore and document his impressions of the world around him. The pages of the sketchbook would have been filled with scenes of daily life, architecture, and landscapes, offering a glimpse into the world as he saw it. The choice of subject matter, the way figures are rendered, and the composition of the scenes would all be indicative of Springer's perspective as a man living in 19th-century Netherlands. Consider the emotional and personal dimensions of this sketchbook, a repository of the artist's observations, sketches, and perhaps even his innermost thoughts. It serves as a mirror reflecting both the artist's identity and the society in which he lived, inviting viewers to engage with the historical, social, and cultural contexts that shaped its creation.