Lijst met uitgaven 1849 - 1895

Willem Koekkoek made this artwork, "Lijst met uitgaven," using ink on paper. The initial visual encounter with this work evokes a sense of intimacy, underscored by the raw, handwritten script that dominates the composition. The writing is organized in list form with the sum at the bottom of the page. Koekkoek's choice of medium strips away any artifice. The directness of the writing style exposes the bones of record-keeping. The interplay between form and content invites a semiotic reading, where the marks on paper function as signs referring to a network of transactions. It’s a rudimentary ledger, yet the meticulous arrangement of data reveals a structured approach to the everyday. The artwork challenges our notions of value, inviting us to reconsider what constitutes art. The composition itself, with the pragmatic arrangement of text, is not aesthetically pleasing but serves to destabilize traditional artistic hierarchies. It underscores the fact that art can be found in the most unlikely of places.