Schetsboek met 77 bladen 1857 - 1859

Curator: This is "Sketchbook with 77 Leaves," dating from 1857 to 1859, created by Pierre Joseph Hubert Cuypers. It consists of drawings on paper, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My initial impression is one of quiet introspection. It’s aged, worn but dignified. It almost feels like it contains secrets. Curator: Exactly! Cuypers was a pivotal figure in the Gothic Revival movement in the Netherlands, known for designing many prominent churches and public buildings. This sketchbook provides insight into his design process. The role of architecture and architects have always been in dialogue with social life; here we might discover some points of intersection. Editor: And seeing the tools of creation laid bare—paper and pencil—democratizes the process, doesn’t it? We glimpse the initial stages, before the grand pronouncements of brick and mortar. I wonder what sketches it contains, and how they reflect or subvert the social and political conventions of his time. Curator: While we don't have the individual images of the sketches right now, the fact that he meticulously kept a sketchbook is in line with the nineteenth-century architect's approach. This was the time where public architecture gained increased significance, thus documenting ideas was a means to retain power over image-making. Editor: So, we're seeing more than just architectural ideas. We are viewing this sketchbook as a historical artifact, with embedded class and gender assumptions within design and social responsibility. Curator: Indeed. Cuypers’ work played a vital role in shaping Dutch national identity through architecture. His influence stretched across generations, informing discussions around heritage, preservation, and national pride. Editor: Sketchbooks like this are evidence that the foundations of public visual culture were developed by architects, their patrons and communities alike. It is exciting to think about this object and where that heritage leads us today. Curator: Yes, absolutely! "Sketchbook with 77 Leaves" offers a very direct connection to a powerful past, through a most fragile yet permanent medium. Editor: Indeed! And it's a beautiful reminder of the messy, iterative creative process that shaped our world, both physically and ideologically.