Berekening c. 1864

Editor: This drawing, "Berekening" which translates to Calculation, was created around 1864 by Willem Springer Jr., with ink on paper. It’s a page from a sketchbook, and at first glance, it looks rather plain, just some numbers scribbled down. How do you interpret this seemingly simple work? Curator: Well, what catches my eye is the inherent symbolism within what seems like mere calculation. Numbers, particularly in older works, aren't just about quantity. They carry emotional weight, cultural implications. This page could be viewed as a portal into the artist’s thought process, don’t you think? Editor: That’s an interesting point! It’s a sketchbook, so maybe it’s a peek behind the curtain, seeing how he breaks things down into simple calculations. It gives us a better understanding of how artists created. Curator: Precisely! Consider the act of calculation itself. It’s about order, logic, but also limitation. The artist is defining and confining with these figures. There's a sense of control, almost ritualistic, embedded in this practice. Perhaps even exploring concepts such as memory or record-keeping within the symbols used. What do you believe the intended meaning was when using thin versus thick lines? Editor: Now that you mention it, the way some numbers are darker, more emphatic, suggests a hierarchy, right? Certain elements might have been more crucial in his artistic calculations. Curator: It hints at the visual encoding that our ancestors have practiced, connecting simple numeric calculations to larger life structures and memory practices. What a simple, ordinary act represented over generations. Editor: I hadn’t thought about it that way, but I now see how even simple arithmetic can be full of artistic choices, that might reveal historical meanings! Thanks for illuminating this piece. Curator: It is in seeing with new eyes we may expand our knowledge. It was a good talk.