Notities 1874

George Clausen made this drawing, "Notities," sometime between 1852 and 1912. It gives us a glimpse into the working methods of an artist trained in the late 19th century. The sketch is a note relating to a painting by Jan Steen, probably seen in a museum. Steen, who lived in the Dutch Golden Age, depicted scenes of everyday life, and Clausen, here, takes notes on one of Steen’s compositions. Clausen was greatly influenced by the Realist movement in France. Artists, such as Clausen, saw it as their social purpose to represent the lives of ordinary people. Clausen was a professor at the Royal Academy and influenced many artists of the New English Art Club. The drawing is a reminder that art doesn't spring from nowhere. An understanding of art is built upon observation and knowledge of what has gone before. To really appreciate the significance of this sketch, one needs to consider the institutional context of art education and examine the works of both Steen and Clausen.