Reisnotities en een lijst met uitgaven 1863 - 1867

Here is a page from Johannes Tavenraat's travel notes and a list of expenses, created in 1858, now held at the Rijksmuseum. This unassuming page offers a glimpse into the daily life of the artist. Look closely at the columns of figures, the precise records of expenses, and the locations mentioned. These writings echo a tradition that dates back to antiquity. Medieval merchants, Renaissance travelers, all meticulously documented their journeys and expenditures. Consider the act of writing itself. The arrangement of text mirrors the rational impulse to organize and make sense of a chaotic world. This is not unlike how artists use composition to frame and understand their subjects. The simple act of recording expenses, of charting a journey, is a powerful assertion of control. Here we see echoes of ancient maps, the 'Tabula Peutingeriana', and the 'Book of Roads and Kingdoms'. The careful listing of items and figures suggests a desire to impose order. Like the impulse to capture likenesses in portraiture or landscapes, it is the artist's way of capturing and preserving experiences. These notes are a journey through time, resurfacing in our modern age.