Abklatsch van de potloodtekening op pagina 10 recto 1839

This pencil transfer, made by Johannes Tavenraat, resides in the Rijksmuseum. It serves as a potent reminder of the institutional frameworks that underpin art. In 19th-century Netherlands, the art world was heavily shaped by academies and museums, which dictated standards and tastes. An artist like Tavenraat was formed by the academy’s emphasis on traditional drawing skills. But this particular work also gives us access to the artist's process and reveals the role of reproduction in artistic training. The act of transferring, of copying, was central to artistic practice. Historians rely on archival material like letters, catalogues, and institutional records to reconstruct the context in which an artwork like this one was created. The meaning of this work lies in its relationship to the broader institutional history of art education and artistic production.