Registratie van electriciteitsgolven opgewekt door een vonkinductor before 1870

This print documents Willem Cornelis van Dijk’s registration of electricity waves, using what appears to be a spark inductor. The composition is dominated by horizontal lines, uniformly spaced, suggesting a rhythmic, almost musical notation of electrical activity. The subtle variations in line thickness and density might reflect fluctuations in the intensity of the electrical current. The materiality of the print—likely achieved through a mechanical reproduction technique—speaks to a moment of scientific documentation. Van Dijk’s process transforms an invisible phenomenon into a visual, almost tangible form. In this way the print challenges our perception of what constitutes an image. Is it merely representational, or can it capture forces beyond the realm of direct human perception? The ordering of lines could be considered a form of abstract expression predating more familiar avant-garde movements. It invites us to consider how systems of notation and representation can reveal hidden structures of the world.