Schetsboek met 40 bladen 1867

This sketchbook with 40 pages, now held at the Rijksmuseum, was created by Maria Vos. It has a somber cover with a black backdrop and ornamented gilded letters spelling 'Album'. The term "album," derived from the Latin "album," meaning "white," initially referred to blank tablets used for public notices in ancient Rome. Over time, it evolved into a space for personal inscriptions and memories, a repository of fleeting moments. The choice of ornate lettering elevates the mundane function of a sketchbook to a vessel of memory and personal significance. The dark backdrop and gilded letters suggest a sense of preciousness and permanence, a stark contrast to the ephemeral nature of the sketches within. The act of collecting and preserving drawings in an album echoes the human desire to capture and hold onto experiences, emotions, and observations. It is a testament to our innate drive to find meaning and beauty in the world around us, and to safeguard those fragments of reality against the relentless passage of time.