Lijst met reiskosten 1906 - 1945

Curator: This work, titled "Lijst met reiskosten," which translates to "List of travel expenses," dates from sometime between 1906 and 1945. It’s currently held in the Rijksmuseum’s collection and features pencil, graphite and ink on paper. Editor: It strikes me immediately as intensely personal and somewhat melancholic. The faded ink and hurried script evoke a sense of someone documenting their expenses not for professional reasons, but as part of an introspective ritual. Curator: It provides a direct window into the daily realities of a past individual. Documents such as this expense list are particularly valuable, I find. They offer a view into ordinary experiences of people living during times of war. Editor: There's a peculiar beauty in the rhythmic arrangement of the numbers. The "3,30" recurring down the page creates an almost musical cadence visually. It's mundane data presented with an inherent artistic quality. The contrast between that precise calculation and that last flourished name on the page. Curator: This isn't simply a cold enumeration of monetary transactions. It may also underscore shifts in social mobility that may have occurred over time. Were the means sufficient to live during periods of inflation? What social class do they belong to based on their need for a “travel expense” document. Editor: Absolutely. The materials themselves--pencil, graphite, and ink--are simple and utilitarian. What emerges however, is a document with subtle beauty born out of its functional design. The varying pressure of the pencil strokes. The character that comes through. It reminds you that there's someone on the other end of this writing. Curator: In seeing "Lijst met reiskosten," we catch a rare glimpse beyond the grand historical narratives, glimpsing someone simply trying to navigate a shifting world. It's in those mundane acts that real life takes root. Editor: Indeed. Looking at the artwork reminds me that beauty can be extracted and found everywhere: even on the smallest list.