Lijst met onder andere figuren, bloemen, etsen 1906 - 1945

Curator: Welcome. We’re looking at "Lijst met onder andere figuren, bloemen, etsen," or "List with figures, flowers, etchings among other things," created sometime between 1906 and 1945. Editor: It feels… immediate. A captured thought. Is it just me, or does this resemble a quickly scribbled note, something an artist might make for themselves? Curator: Precisely. We’re observing what seems to be a page from Reijer Stolk's sketchbook, a mixed-media work with ink and other mediums on paper. A personal catalogue of images and themes. Editor: That's evident, actually. It has that utilitarian feel – clearly prioritizing function over formal artistry. No pretension here, just the bare bones of artistic thought rendered through writing. What do the material choices tell us, beyond economy? Curator: Well, the mixed media emphasizes process and exploration. Look at the linguistic register. Words are like material experiments—searching for different avenues and methods for imaging. "Christusfiguren" - that is “Christ figures”. We understand Stolk engaged deeply with symbolism related to faith, its impact and artistic expressions through Christian iconography. Editor: True. The contrast then becomes, the sacred theme against the mundane method: turning religious and figure compositions into…almost a shopping list for the artist? I think it says something, too, about the act of physically writing and making – so immediate and material – against grander abstract ideas. Curator: Indeed, it underscores the deeply internalized nature of visual culture for Stolk, where potent icons appear in his most intimate space of study, right alongside notes for studies "naar model," referring to working from a figure or object. These lists may provide insight into Stolk's thinking. The self-portrait also listed seems interesting. Editor: The "shopping list" formulation also makes one ponder over accessibility and artmaking. Mass manufacture has brought "materials" such as images closer to more and more makers. Maybe these sketchbook pages tell tales of new opportunities – new pressures, too? Curator: Perhaps so. It's interesting to see these symbolic representations distilled, then translated back into material actions in his studio. The work makes me ponder how persistent forms can find surprising means for reproduction across diverse spaces and people. Editor: And it highlights the constant interplay of materiality and concept, grounding even the most ethereal images. I like that it takes artmaking off the pedestal.