Aantekening betreffende punten van studie 1629 - 1661

Curator: Hmm, looks like someone's shopping list from the 17th century… albeit a philosophical one. This is “Aantekening betreffende punten van studie” or "Notes regarding points of study" by Jacob Willemsz. Delff II. Dates between 1629 and 1661, ink on paper. Editor: A shopping list for the soul perhaps? There is an aura of calm introspection that envelops me when looking at the composition of the artwork, it has the weight of a meditative act—as if the writing itself were an act of devotion. Curator: Devotion to…what? To deciphering the secrets of architecture and beauty? Look, it says "Van de verdeelung in architectuur. Waarom dat schoon schoon is.” So something about division in architecture and why beauty is beautiful. Pretty heady stuff! Editor: I believe it represents more than a search for architectural balance; it represents a quest for knowledge through the artist's understanding of aesthetics, politics, and the artist’s positioning to question these norms, reflecting societal expectations of beauty as an artistic responsibility. The idea of 'beauty being beautiful' can suggest the replication of accepted beauty standards, instead of questioning these aesthetics. It could even address the social structures that reinforce existing notions of beauty and hierarchies present within those structures. Curator: So, it's a little dig at the art establishment then? You reckon he’s throwing shade at accepted conventions of his time? I prefer to think that the calligraphy is as important here as the words, that the sheer act of handwriting beautifully those particular musings matters as much. And isn't it fabulous how casual it looks? Like he’s jotting down thoughts for himself… very intimate and of-the-moment. It gives it a rather informal flair that undermines its philosophical and theoretical stance, don’t you think? Editor: The piece, to me, reflects that search to situate our experiences in our immediate surroundings. It does this by combining written observation with the artmaking. Delff’s work becomes an act of claiming the role of intellectual inquiry in art. Curator: True, true. Art making, knowledge-making, both. Well, whatever his precise intention, it’s still gorgeous isn’t it? So economical. I just love how the writing meanders on the page like a little intellectual garden. Editor: Indeed. An open invitation to engage, explore, and even question the very foundations of our visual and societal world.