Bijbelverzen 1906 - 1948

Editor: Here we have "Bijbelverzen" by Marie Jordan, made sometime between 1906 and 1948. It's ink on paper, mostly calligraphy, and at first glance, it feels very intimate, like a private journal entry. What can you tell us about this piece? Curator: Considering the medium and the date, I’d say this work invites a materialist reading focusing on the means of production and consumption. Think about the cost of paper and ink during the early to mid-20th century. Was this a luxury or a common resource for Jordan? How might the act of hand-copying religious verses connect to broader issues of literacy, education, and access to religious texts for women at that time? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn’t considered. I was initially thinking about the verses themselves. Do you think her selection of specific verses might give us any insight? Curator: Precisely! The content of the verses and her dedication to them, reproduced meticulously by hand, challenge the perceived divisions between “high art” and craft. Were these transcriptions intended for personal devotion or communal sharing? Also, thinking about the act of writing itself, is it a form of labour, both physical and intellectual, and what does that say about women in that time? Editor: So, you are saying the real focus isn't necessarily on artistic expression, but on the materials used and the socio-economic context of their creation? Curator: Yes, precisely! The paper, the ink, and the labor invested offer a lens into understanding the everyday lives and cultural realities surrounding its production. What this piece signifies might actually lie within these elements. Editor: That really opens up how I look at it! I'm now viewing it as a handmade commentary on cultural materials as carriers of expression! Curator: Exactly, it makes us appreciate all aspects and implications that come with an artwork.