Lijst met uitgaven 1849 - 1895

Willem Koekkoek made "Lijst met uitgaven" which translates to "List of expenses," with ink on paper. The page presents a stark contrast, with light paper starkly supporting dark ink markings. It is defined by lines of handwriting with numbers that cascade down the page, each entry a fragment of daily life. The visual impact here relies not on pictorial representation but on the structured arrangement of text. We observe here a tension between the orderly intention of accounting and the disorder of handwriting. Each letter, each number, becomes a signifier. The lack of traditional artistic elements invites a structuralist reading, where the list becomes a system of signs reflecting broader economic and social structures. Koekkoek's list destabilizes conventional notions of art, challenging viewers to find value and meaning in the mundane. In its raw form, the list is a direct, unmediated representation of its creator's world. The interplay between intention, documentation, and the aesthetic qualities of the handwritten form, invites ongoing interpretation.