Schetsboek met 25 bladen 1908

Editor: We are looking at "Schetsboek met 25 bladen," a sketchbook with 25 pages, dating back to 1908, by Carel Adolph Lion Cachet, held in the Rijksmuseum. The book is made of paper, and the artist used a pencil for drawing. The cover looks well-worn; I am intrigued to learn what's inside! How should we look at it? Curator: The sketchbook, itself, can be viewed as an artifact worthy of aesthetic examination. Note the material qualities: the tone of the aged paper, the textures suggested by its wear. How do these intrinsic features contribute to our understanding? Consider its composition: the cover’s surface is marked by subtle tonal shifts and various smudges, each potentially contributing to a richer visual experience. What semiotic systems may exist there? Editor: A semiotic system in the marks on the cover itself? Curator: Indeed! While the individual sketches inside might reveal the artist's specific intentions, the book's overall aesthetic form already embodies layers of meaning. We can approach this as a physical structure wherein each detail offers itself for decoding. What structures are presented that lead to greater meaning, perhaps? Editor: I see the value in regarding it as a whole artwork; its intrinsic characteristics have aesthetic weight, like color, composition, and the look and feel of its materials, regardless of any individual drawing on any page inside. Curator: Precisely. Approaching the object in this way allows one to consider the sketchbook's totality as a statement about art and process itself, yes? Editor: That shifts my perspective quite a bit. Thanks! I had been focusing on the fact that it was a container, but you are spot on. Now, it seems important to observe what’s ON the container too. Curator: Very good! We should consider art for the marks in its structure. Now consider also: how does understanding an artwork's construction shape and alter your viewpoint?