Aantekeningen betreffende glas-in-lood ramen 1878 - 1938

This is Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst’s preparatory sketch for stained glass windows, made at an unknown date. It’s a page of handwritten notes, a gorgeous artifact of an artist at work! Looking at this piece, I'm thinking about the invisible labor that goes into artmaking. Holst uses a casual tone to jot down his ideas, material lists, and color schemes for future reference. Imagine him, perhaps, scribbling away in his studio, surrounded by pots of paint and scraps of glass. I see the Dutch master experimenting, noting “blond yellow - corn blue” and “very light blue but with a blue surround.” These aren't just instructions; they're a glimpse into his artistic decision-making. Holst may not be as famous as other stained-glass artists like, say, Matisse, but this intimate peek into his process connects us to the shared experience of artists everywhere. It reminds me that art is often a messy, intuitive journey, full of trial and error. We all stand on the shoulders of those who came before, learning from their experiments and adding our own voices to the conversation.