Schetsboek met 21 bladen c. 1895 - 1898

This is George Hendrik Breitner's sketchbook, made of paper and other materials. The book cover presents a visual field dominated by a seemingly random pattern of dark and light spots. This might evoke a sense of chaos. But look closer. The composition reveals a structured, albeit unpredictable, distribution of visual weight. Breitner’s sketchbook is a physical and conceptual container. It’s not only for sketches but also for ideas, and artistic exploration. The book form itself invites a sequential unfolding, encouraging us to consider how an artist’s thoughts evolve over time. The cover’s mottled design acts as a kind of visual code, suggestive of the myriad possibilities contained within. It destabilizes the traditional notion of a sketchbook as merely a repository for preliminary drawings, suggesting it is a space of dynamic interplay. The sketchbook becomes not just a tool, but a crucial document of the artist's creative process.