Schetsboek met 28 bladen c. 1808 - 1857

This is Abraham Teerlink's sketchbook containing 28 pages. Teerlink was born in the Netherlands in 1776 and died in Italy in 1857. Looking at this object, we see a slice of 19th-century artistic life. Teerlink, part of the Dutch artistic diaspora, spent much of his career in Italy, a popular destination for Northern European artists seeking classical inspiration and patronage. But what can a sketchbook tell us about the artist's world? Well, the Rijksmuseum's acquisition and preservation of this sketchbook speaks to shifting cultural values. It reflects the growing 19th-century interest in the artist's individual genius and the belief that even preparatory sketches offer insights into the creative process. This elevation of the sketch, once a mere tool, into a valuable object reflects the rise of Romanticism and its emphasis on individual expression. To understand this sketchbook fully, we might explore the changing status of the artist in 19th-century Europe, consulting archival records, artist biographies, and exhibition reviews. The sketchbook reminds us that art's meaning is never fixed but constantly re-evaluated within ever-changing social and institutional contexts.