Afmetingen van ramen en kleden 1849 - 1895

This page of handwritten notes was created by Willem Koekkoek at an unknown date. Using ink on paper, the artist has noted the "Afmetingen van ramen en kleden" - the dimensions of windows and cloths. The material itself, paper, is key here. Cheap and readily available, it allowed Koekkoek to jot down measurements with ease, using the kind of cursive script associated with business and administration. The content suggests a practical purpose, perhaps related to interior design or accounting. The presence of these dimensions indicates the amount of labor involved in producing textiles and windows, essential elements of the Dutch domestic sphere. By foregrounding this simple, utilitarian document, we can ask fresh questions about the infrastructure of art and craft in the 19th century. It is important to consider that while this document may not appear to be a conventional work of art, it provides a glimpse into the material conditions that enabled artistic creation and domestic life.