Annotaties c. 1915 - 1916

Editor: This is “Annotaties,” a mixed-media drawing by George Hendrik Breitner, created around 1915 or 1916. It looks like a page from a sketchbook, filled with handwriting on aged paper. There’s even a printed label from a stationery shop. It really speaks to the everyday life of the artist, almost like a visual diary. What do you see when you look at this piece? Curator: What strikes me is the convergence of high art and everyday commercial production. We see Breitner engaging with readily available materials, like this sketchbook page, likely mass-produced. Notice how the printed stationery label, "Gebrs. Simons, Amsterdam," is prominently featured alongside his handwritten notes. This was a purchased item, implying his patronage and its commodification. Editor: So, the very materials used contribute to its meaning? Curator: Precisely! It compels us to consider the material conditions of artistic creation. How does the pre-printed paper, a product of industrial manufacture, shape the artwork? The act of writing, typically associated with the hand, is juxtaposed with mechanically reproduced text. This complicates our understanding of originality and artistic labor. Do you see any indication of alterations? Editor: It is hard to discern the artist's original intent among what appears to be notations, possibly made at different times with different instruments or pens, or is this only an artifact of the image digitization? Curator: Perhaps. It urges us to think about the artwork’s journey through time, with potential annotations made beyond its initial creation. Also, considering the value he might have placed in commonplace suppliers' branding as integral elements, rather than simple background matter is important, and questions our conception of artistic labour in relation to commercial activity. Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. It really highlights the relationship between art, commerce, and the tools we use to create. Curator: Indeed. And understanding those relationships gives us a much deeper insight into the artwork itself and the society that produced it.