Schetsboek met 21 bladen c. 1920

This is a sketchbook with 21 pages by Johan Antonie de Jonge. Although undated, the artist was active in the late 19th and early 20th century. The cover gives us invaluable insight into the production and consumption of art materials in the Netherlands during this period. The text on the cover indicates it was made for sale, with the brand and address of W.H. Stam, a business based in The Hague. De Jonge, like many artists, relied on such commercial suppliers. What might De Jonge have sketched in its pages? Landscapes? Portraits? Street scenes? The possibilities are endless. But the survival of the sketchbook itself tells a story of artistic practice within a market economy. By researching archival records, business directories, and art supply catalogues from the time, we can learn more about the infrastructures that supported artists like De Jonge and shaped the art world of his day. This little book is a window into a whole world.