Kleurnotitie 1840 - 1841

This is a Kleurnotitie, or colour note, made by Johannes Tavenraat, a Dutch artist who lived in the 19th century. This work is a simple sheet of paper on which a few scribbled words are visible. The paper itself is quite telling. Notice how the staining around the edges speaks to the way it has aged, its fibers slowly oxidizing. The support acts almost like a time capsule, preserving the artist’s quick observations. It may seem like an everyday material, but paper held a particular significance in the 19th century, due to the rise of industrial production and the print industry. Tavenraat’s colour note is a glimpse into the artist’s creative process, a reminder that even the simplest materials can be imbued with meaning through artistic intention and the passage of time. This simple note demonstrates that sometimes the most unassuming materials can hold profound insights into artistic process and cultural context.