Notities 1834 - 1911

This page of notes by Jozef Israëls presents a fascinating dive into the artist's working process. The prominence of numbers and hastily scribbled words brings to mind the Kabbalistic tradition, where numbers are imbued with mystical significance, revealing hidden orders. Consider the alchemical diagrams of the medieval period, which similarly sought to decode the mysteries of the universe through symbolic notation. Here, the artist's personal and professional concerns intertwine in a manner reminiscent of a personal grimoire. It’s as if the artist used these notes to inscribe his artistic intentions. Like the recurring motifs in dreams, the artist's notes invite us to delve into the subconscious, exploring the intersection between conscious thought and the deeper currents of artistic creation. This page, therefore, is a palimpsest of thought. It reveals how the same symbols can be adapted to articulate our anxieties.