Schetsboek met 23 bladen c. 1915 - 1921

Editor: This is "Sketchbook with 23 pages" by Willem Witsen, dating from around 1915 to 1921. It's made with colored pencil on paper. The cover looks so worn. It's intriguing to see the raw, untouched cover of what must have been a working artist's personal book. What strikes you about it? Curator: The symbolism lies in the very form. A sketchbook isn't just paper; it's a repository of thoughts, a visual diary. Its well-used look speaks to the continuous creative process and memory it contains. That circled number – “314 0" – that might be an inventory mark, a relic connecting it to a collection's history. Does that make you think of something? Editor: It's like a coded message. The sketchbook cover becomes a symbol of art as an unfolding journey. Curator: Exactly! And it is interesting that a working sketchbook from Witsen finds its place in the permanent collection of the Rijksmuseum. Sketchbooks normally serve as functional tools rather than art objects. What feelings do you get thinking about it this way? Editor: It's the container holding the essence of art. The drawings inside become even more meaningful. To be let into the thoughts and work processes of someone who made art almost one hundred years ago really brings history to life. Curator: Think of it as cultural memory made visible. It makes me reflect on how objects can be transformed from something disposable to something holding power. This cover, worn and marked, is the gate to so much more. Editor: That’s given me a whole new appreciation for sketchbooks and how they capture cultural information! Curator: Indeed. It shows how symbols and signs are everywhere, if we simply train our eyes to look closely.