Schetsboek LXII met 28 bladen 1875 - 1934

Editor: This is *Schetsboek LXII met 28 bladen*, or "Sketchbook LXII with 28 sheets," made by Isaac Israels between 1875 and 1934. It's a mixed media work incorporating drawing and colored pencil on paper. It's the outside cover of a notebook and the splotches on the brown paper suggest this sketchbook was well used! How should we interpret the significance of such a mundane object? Curator: Seeing this sketchbook, I'm immediately drawn to thinking about the labor inherent in artmaking. A sketchbook isn't the polished finished product, right? It's a space of experimentation, and I would assume of failure and revision. Considering Israels’ social circles, how might his access to resources have shaped his artistic development, as documented in this sketchbook? Editor: That’s an interesting perspective – considering access to resources. I never really thought about that when looking at a sketchbook. What do you mean? Curator: Well, privilege plays a massive role in who gets to create, experiment, and ultimately, succeed in the art world. Who has the time and money to explore creative avenues, like filling a whole sketchbook? I always wonder about the countless untold stories of those who were denied these opportunities, often along the lines of gender, class, or race. Does seeing the publisher information "Amsterdam" impact your interpretation, particularly when juxtaposed against who could afford such a sketchbook? Editor: That is something I hadn't considered. I see that the book comes from Amsterdam, a relatively international and urban city... It certainly would change the reading of this object if it had been created in a more rural setting with less wealth. Curator: Precisely! This object invites us to consider the societal structures that both support and limit artistic creation, and to question whose voices are amplified and whose remain hidden. Editor: That's really insightful. I’ll definitely view sketchbooks differently from now on! Curator: That’s the power of art, right? To make us question our assumptions and expand our understanding.