Schetsboek met 14 bladen 1886 - 1923

Curator: Here we have George Hendrik Breitner's "Sketchbook with 14 Leaves", created sometime between 1886 and 1923. It's currently part of the Rijksmuseum's collection. Editor: It's captivating, that swirling, speckled pattern on the cover. The texture almost looks like polished stone, like a decorative slab, but softer somehow. Curator: Interesting. Breitner, a key figure in Dutch Impressionism, was known for his street scenes and portraits. His sketchbooks, like this one made from paper with mixed-media techniques, reveal another side of his artistic practice. Think of the means of production for such personal objects, made in his studio but distributed through various retailers. Editor: So, we see how Breitner's artistic world extended beyond the canvas. Sketchbooks like this weren’t merely private affairs; they existed within a broader market and served a social function for the artist. Were they common marketing tools? Curator: Indeed, for Breitner, a sketchbook held both immense artistic and economic value. It offered portability; it facilitated preliminary studies for larger works, while enabling him to capture fleeting moments from modern urban life, all with inexpensive and easily attainable materials. The pattern on the cover suggests to me mass-produced decorative papers, likely widely available at the time. Editor: I am struck by the democratizing aspect of this: access. Consider Breitner's choice to work on paper. Was paper more accessible, enabling a broader demographic of artists and amateurs, contributing to an expanded and more socially diverse art world? And to circle back to that cover, even a small detail such as the covering is relevant to how these sketchbooks are meant to communicate a message to their intended owners. Curator: Exactly. Even something as simple as the mixed-media techniques reflect the accessibility and utility of art production for an artist in a modern urban landscape. They also blur the boundaries of artistic production at the time. Editor: Examining "Sketchbook with 14 Leaves," beyond just aesthetic appreciation, brings focus on the artistic process and the society shaping that process. It highlights the artist in connection with the industry. Curator: Agreed. The work makes you think about the conditions of artistic creation and dissemination. Editor: Indeed.