Schetsboek met 30 bladen 1834 - 1911

This is a sketchbook with 30 sheets by Jozef Israëls, held at the Rijksmuseum. The initial visual impact is one of unassuming simplicity; a rectangular form defined by the subtle texture of the cover material and framed by a dark border. The muted, neutral tones create a sense of quietude, almost inviting contemplation on the very essence of artistic creation. The sketchbook, in its structural form, embodies potential. The blank pages within represent a field of possibility, a space where ideas take shape and evolve. This invokes the structuralist notion of ‘deep structures’, where the visible object hints at underlying systems of thought and expression. Considered semiotically, the sketchbook acts as a signifier. It points not just to itself as an object, but to the broader concepts of artistry, creativity and the artistic process. It challenges our expectations; it destabilizes the conventional understanding of art as a finished product and refocuses our attention on the generative, formative stages. The sketchbook thus exists not merely as a container for art, but as a profound statement on the nature of artistic endeavour itself.