Notitie 1834 - 1903

This is a page from a sketchbook by Johan Hendrik Weissenbruch, filled with scribbled notes about the river Rijn near Katwijk, dating from around 1850. Observe these written marks: the artist’s hand, caught in the act of spontaneous creation. These aren't just words; they are echoes of a primal impulse to capture fleeting moments. Recall the cave paintings of Lascaux, where early humans marked their world with images of bison and horses. What drove them to scratch these shapes into stone? A need to control, to understand, to leave a trace of their existence. Now, consider the religious symbolism of writing. In many traditions, sacred texts are seen as divine, a direct line to the gods. The act of writing becomes a form of prayer, a way to commune with the unseen. The marks and scribbles represent this impulse to connect. As it always has, the human mind still yearns for meaning, for permanence, in a world of constant change.