Campuysen 1949

Here is an off-white sheet of paper, titled Campuysen, made by M.F.F.A. de Nerée tot Babbberich van Camphuysen. It looks like the artist handmade it and perhaps it was going to be used for printing, writing, or drawing. I’m thinking about Camphuysen in their studio, hands stained with ink, surrounded by tools. There’s something about the texture of this paper that pulls me in. You can see the little fibers, like tiny threads holding the whole thing together. It’s not smooth or perfect; it’s got character, a story to tell. I see the artist's hand in the subtle variations of color, the slight imperfections in the surface. It’s almost like the paper is breathing, alive. There's a warmth and intimacy that I really connect with. It reminds me that painting is an embodied experience, a conversation between the artist, the materials, and the world. I wonder what Camphuysen would have drawn or written on it? We'll never know...