Schetsboek met 33 bladen 1848 - 1888

This sketchbook with 33 pages was made by Anton Mauve in the late 19th century. It is composed of paper, bound together in a simple volume. Sketchbooks like this give us an intimate view into an artist's process. They are often filled with trial runs, quick impressions, and works-in-progress. Think about the physical act of sketching: the repeated touch of pencil on paper, the building up of tone and line. The paper itself is crucial. It must be robust enough to withstand erasure, yet receptive to the softest touch. Sketchbooks like this also reflect the changing economics of art. As the market for art expanded, so did the demand for easily portable, relatively inexpensive materials. This sketchbook, humble as it is, thus sits at the intersection of artistic inspiration and the modes of production that made that inspiration possible. It blurs the line between the precious "art object" and the everyday tools of creative labor.