Lijst en aantekeningen van het grafisch werk van Jan Veth in het Rijksprentenkabinet 1927

Curator: This ink drawing, “Lijst en aantekeningen van het grafisch werk van Jan Veth in het Rijksprentenkabinet,” was created in 1927. It’s intriguing, a seemingly straightforward list. There's a density to the lettering; it completely occupies the page. How do you respond to the formal elements at play here? Editor: The handwriting is very neat. I am curious how someone could fill a page so deliberately with uniformly sized text. The script and lack of images evokes an administrative document. How might you read this as a composition, rather than just a list? Curator: I note the consistent stroke width, and near uniformity of the script. Observe the variations in the density of the ink; each line is tightly packed, creating visual texture. It also looks as if it was printed as there is perfect alignment. But what I find compelling is its function, apparently as a listing of graphic work. The organization lends the list structure. Tell me, what interpretive frameworks might you employ when looking at those structural and compositional elements of the work? Editor: I think I'm starting to see how I might apply my semiotics training here: the form imitates administrative language. Was that a common design during the time that this artwork was created? What other clues could suggest an artistic value of such a formal work? Curator: The use of calligraphy transforms a simple record into a visual piece with distinct rhythms, echoing contemporary styles. If it really is handwriting rather than printed it makes for an authentic glimpse into the artist's cataloging methodology, one where we consider its structural harmony and methodical inscription as integral components. A type of personal language from which to decode and reconstruct Jan Veth's world! Editor: I hadn’t considered the lettering as being a choice with deliberate structure, rather than just information. That has given me much to consider!