Schetsboek met 73 bladen c. 1935 - 1936

This sketchbook with 73 pages was made by Cornelis Vreedenburgh and now lives in the Rijksmuseum. It looks well-worn, like it’s been taken on many journeys and filled with a mix of fleeting impressions. The cover is faded and stained, with a few marks and smudges that hint at the creative process within. I imagine the artist walking through a field, stopping to quickly sketch a landscape. The light stains and smudges could be the result of working outside. It’s a quiet, unassuming object, but it speaks volumes about the artist’s commitment to their craft. Like a painter who's always working, always looking, always thinking. It reminds me of other sketchbooks by artists who share an intimate relationship with their notebooks like Cy Twombly or even Basquiat. Sketchbooks like this represent a whole world of experimentation and the ongoing conversations between artists and their practice.