Schetsboek met 47 bladen 1866

This is Johannes Tavenraat's sketchbook with 47 pages, which now resides in the Rijksmuseum. Tavenraat lived during a time of significant social change in the Netherlands, and while the sketchbook itself is a simple object, it represents a period of artistic and cultural development. During the 19th century, sketchbooks like this were tools for artists to capture their observations, practice their skills, and develop their ideas. As a historical artifact, it provides insight into Tavenraat's mind, revealing his interests, techniques, and the world he inhabited. The materiality of the sketchbook—its size, the paper it contains, and the wear and tear it has sustained—tells a story of its own. Each mark and impression represents a moment in time. Although the sketchbook might seem unremarkable, it’s a portal into understanding the everyday life and artistic practices of an artist in the 1800s. It reminds us that even the simplest objects can hold profound historical and personal significance.