Enquêteformulier ingevuld door Carel Christiaan Antony Last Possibly 1841

Editor: Here we have "Enquèteformulier ingevuld door Carel Christiaan Antony Last," a drawing in ink on paper, dating back to approximately 1841. I find it so intriguing that something like an official questionnaire could be a work of art. What can you tell us about this seemingly mundane object within the Rijksmuseum's collection? Curator: Well, it’s crucial to see beyond just the 'mundane'. The document itself, an art historical inquiry form, is embedded in a larger network of institutional power. Think about what it meant to standardize and categorize artistic lives back then. How might the artists themselves have viewed this form, or the potential biases within such surveys? Editor: So, it's not just about the information it contains, but also about the social context of collecting that information? Curator: Precisely. Who designed the questions? Whose lives are deemed important enough to document? This document offers insights into the historical relationship between artists, art historians and the emerging institution of the museum. The very act of documentation shapes how art history is understood and told. Do you think this questionnaire reflects some values or prejudices, then? Editor: It does seem a little authoritative now that I look at it again; Almost like the institution itself is deciding how history should remember an artist! Curator: Exactly! It's less a neutral form, and more an artifact revealing the biases and structures of its time. Food for thought. Editor: Definitely makes you reconsider what even makes a source ‘objective.’ I will be keeping my eyes open to the inherent power dynamics in art history. Thanks! Curator: Gladly. Every object holds those secrets.