Aantekening betreffende Petrus Johannes Schotel after 1865

This undated note regarding Petrus Johannes Schotel was produced anonymously, using paper, and ink. But this isn’t just any paper and ink; it’s a printed newspaper article, with handwriting layered on top. The very material of the piece, a newsprint, speaks volumes about the acceleration of information in the 19th century. The ability to rapidly disseminate news through print created a shared public consciousness, allowing people to engage with events and ideas beyond their immediate surroundings. The handwritten note, likely penned by someone with a personal connection to the Schotel family, transforms the mass-produced news into something intimate. The writing itself is an act of preservation, a way to ensure that Schotel's legacy, and that of his forebears, including his famous father, would endure. It is an intervention into the historical record, imbuing the note with a sense of care and remembrance. Looking at this artwork, we can appreciate how the materials and methods of its making are inseparable from its cultural significance.