Blank 1913 - 1914

This blank page was made by J.A. Jerichau II, sometime between 1890 and 1916, and is made of paper. At first glance, it may not seem like there's much to discuss here. But consider the making of paper, the surface on which so much art, design, and literature comes into being. Before industrialization, paper was made by hand, a labor-intensive process involving the pulping of plant fibers, pressing them into sheets, and then drying. The texture and weight of this page would have been directly influenced by these processes. Even a seemingly blank page carries cultural significance. Paper is a commodity, it represents wider systems of labor, politics, and consumption, and an often-overlooked material in the history of art. So next time you encounter a drawing, print, or even a handwritten note, remember the paper itself—a testament to human ingenuity and effort. Considering materials, making, and context allows us to think critically about the histories of creative practices and aesthetics, challenging the traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.