Schetsblad met compositie-studies 1878 - 1938

This sketch sheet of composition studies was made by the Dutch artist Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst, active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Using graphite on paper, Holst captures a series of initial ideas, and his process is immediately evident in the visible lines and erasures. Holst was deeply engaged with socialist ideals, and his art often reflected his social and political convictions. Many of Holst’s finished works were large-scale public commissions, and the kind of image he was known for took a great deal of work to produce, mobilizing the labor of many assistants. This sketch sheet offers a glimpse into that process, and a reminder of the many hours of thought and labor that went into his celebrated works. By focusing on process, materials, and the broader social context, we gain a deeper appreciation for Holst's artistic achievements, blurring the lines between the initial sketch and the final masterpiece.