Blad 43 uit Stamboek van de leerlingen der Koloniale School voor Meisjes en Vrouwen te 's-Gravenhage deel II (1930-1949) Possibly 1932 - 1934

This open book page, from a register kept by the Koloniale School voor Meisjes en Vrouwen te 's-Gravenhage between 1930-1949, is filled with handwritten script and small photographs. Imagine the archivist carefully entering information into a ledger – a record of young women preparing to go out into the world. Each entry is like a little painting, the penmanship a gestural dance across the page. Look at the variety of signatures, how each one has its own rhythm. It's like a chorus of voices, each one distinct, contributing to the overall texture of the document. These women were training for something specific, but each would have had their own unique aspirations, as well. It reminds me that mark-making is always more than just information. It's a trace of a person, a moment in time, a way of holding onto something that might otherwise be lost. And it’s fascinating to see these lives intersect and inform each other. Even in its utilitarian purpose, it shares much with the concerns of art.