Skizzenbuch 1845 - 1855

This is a sketchbook, made with paper and board, bound with linen. While sketchbooks might seem ordinary, consider the materials used in their construction. Paper, made from processed plant fibers, and board from pulped wood, are products of industry. The linen binding, likely woven on a mechanized loom, also speaks to industrial production. The sketchbook embodies the democratization of art making. Before industrialization, paper was a luxury. With its mass production, sketching and drawing became accessible, and that encouraged artistic exploration. Consider Friedrich Metz using this book. He filled its pages with his own ideas, knowing it was one of many. The means of its production allowed for the proliferation of art, as a commodity and a means of expression. So, next time you see a humble sketchbook, remember that it contains social and economic histories, not just personal ones.