Schetsboek met 38 bladen c. 1873

This is a sketchbook with 38 pages, made by Johannes Bosboom. The sketchbook’s binding, with its textured, dark-brown cover, invites a tactile, almost haptic experience. Its dimensions suggest an intimacy, a personal space where ideas are captured. The cover's surface, heavily marked with scratches and discolorations, speaks of time and use. These imperfections are not flaws but rather integral to its aesthetic. They suggest a history of encounters, of being carried and consulted, thereby becoming a visual record of Bosboom's artistic process. The materiality of the sketchbook, with its worn texture, evokes a sense of authenticity. This aligns with structuralist thinking about how physical objects carry cultural codes and meanings beyond their immediate function. The sketchbook, in this sense, transcends being merely a repository of drawings; it becomes a signifier of artistic dedication, a testament to the value of process over the finished product. Ultimately, this sketchbook stands as a powerful reminder that art is as much about the journey as it is about the destination.