Aantekening uit archief Philip Zilcken 1867 - 1930

This is a page from Philip Zilcken's archive, an intimate look at the artist’s cataloging system. In his time, from the late 19th to early 20th century, artistic and intellectual circles buzzed with attempts to classify and understand the world. Zilcken's notes, filled with numbers and abbreviations, offer an insight into the mind of an artist deeply engaged with the organization of his own work, a glimpse into the artist's attempts to bring order to the creative process. As you look closer, the notations reveal more than a system; there's a rhythm, an almost musical quality to the way the numbers and abbreviations line up. It's as if Zilcken is composing a secret language, one that only he truly understands. These notes are more than just records; they represent Zilcken's unique way of seeing and interacting with his artistic world. They prompt reflection on how we assign value, create meaning, and, ultimately, construct our identities through the objects we choose to preserve.