Beeldschrift op een wandelstok 1872 - 1875

Andries van Calfsbeek made this drawing titled "Beeldschrift op een wandelstok" or "Pictorial Writing on a Walking Stick" with pen and ink. Notice the structure of the composition with the walking stick on the left and the grid of signs on the right. The drawing presents a system of pictorial writing alongside a walking stick marked with corresponding symbols. Each symbol within the grid is meticulously rendered, inviting us to decode its potential meaning. This arrangement isn't arbitrary; it suggests a method of communication or record-keeping that relies on visual codes. The walking stick, acting as a physical analogue to the symbolic grid, transforms an everyday object into a tool for encoding and decoding messages. This juxtaposition highlights a fascination with language, representation, and the hidden meanings embedded within ordinary objects, questioning how meaning is constructed and communicated through visual signs.