Schetsboek met 86 bladzijden 1825 - 1907

Editor: So, this is *Schetsboek met 86 bladzijden*, or Sketchbook with 86 pages, made by Willem Springer Jr., sometime between 1825 and 1907. It looks like mixed-media on the cover. The overall impression is really organic and textured; it looks like a close up of snakeskin or something. What do you see in this piece? Curator: That's a wonderful first impression! You’ve immediately grasped the tactile quality. It reminds me of marbled paper, a decorative technique quite popular during that era. Think of endpapers in antique books. It makes you wonder, doesn't it, what kind of ideas that cover held and hid? Do you think this book’s filled with sweeping landscapes, perhaps? Or detailed studies of architectural wonders? It's really about imagining those hidden pages inside. Editor: Oh, I hadn't thought of marbled paper, that's so interesting! Knowing that makes the cover even more intriguing. Now I’m imagining what secret, personal sketches this book contains and how many historical treasures this sketchbook safeguarded from public view! But does it matter if the *inside* is unknown? Curator: Ah, that's the heart of the matter, isn't it? Maybe the cover *is* the art. The boundary that hints at an experience and knowledge – perhaps Springer chose it *specifically* to set a mood, a feeling before you even turn the page. After all, a closed book is ripe with possibilities. So this piece represents an artist’s hopes and desires before their exploration can be appreciated. Editor: That’s so true; a decorative promise! It’s not just about the content within, but about the artistic intent. Thank you. Curator: Exactly! And thank you for letting me rediscover that feeling!