Notities c. 1868s - 1878s

Here we see the reverse side of "Notities," a work by Jan Willem van Borselen. Though the notes themselves are not the artwork, they provide a fascinating, intimate glimpse into the artist's world. Born in the Netherlands in 1825, Jan Willem van Borselen lived in a time of immense social and economic change. As industrialization progressed, the country also saw the rise of Romanticism in art, where artists sought to capture emotions and feelings. The notations offer us a personal connection with Van Borselen. They are a bridge between the historical context and the artist's individual experience, and provide a quiet, almost secretive, counterpoint to the grand narratives of history. These notations allow us to reflect on the intersection of the personal and the societal, and the artist's place within the changing world. They invite us to consider what is revealed and concealed in the act of note-taking, and how that reflects broader issues of identity, memory, and history.