herman de vries catalogue raisonné

sketchbook 'de dood' I

catalogue number:	1968.014.1a-u
date created:	1968
classification:	works on paper
work type:	drawing series, sketchbook
medium:	19 drawings + 2 collages in sketchbook (21 sheets of paper) with cardboard covers and metal spiral binding see also 'extended description'
dimensions:	21 sheets, each sheet 24 × 32 cm (motif size 24 × 24 cm)
signature and inscriptions:	titled 'de dood' I on the cover (ink) and at the end sheets with drawings and notes are mounted all sheets are numbered I to XXI and mostly with annotations on the front (graphite pencil) titled 'a.r. [= at random]', signed and dated/work number 'v68-116 [-v68-135 and v68-137]' on the reverse (graphite pencil)
edition:

current repository:	collection Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Stuttgart
current repository number:	DKM GR. 1011, 1
collecting history:	acquired directly from the artist
related works:
comment:	sheets III (v68-118) and XIII (v68-128) missing and sheet XXI (v68-137) loose-leaf in the collection of the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Stuttgart the sheets numbered IV (v68-119), VII (v68-122) - X (v68-125), XII (v68-127), XV (v68-130) - XVIII (v68-133) and XXI (v68-137) are also numbered 5-15 in circles on the front; the number refers to the page in the collection random objectivations (1972)
photo/scan:	courtesy Staatsgalerie Stuttgart
rights & reproduction:	herman de vries/Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Stuttgart

extended description

I. [v68-116] 22 lines drawn between randomly selected points and colour (red, blue and yellow); coloured ink with graphite pencil on paper

II. [v68-117] 22 lines drawn between randomly selected points and colour (red, blue and yellow) [figures as v68-116]; coloured ink with graphite pencil on paper

III. [v68-118] lines drawn between randomly selected points, but in chronological order connected with at random selected colour (red, blue and yellow); coloured ink with graphite pencil on paper

IV. [v68-119] paper squares (2 × 2) distributed at random; collage with black paper with graphite pencil on paper

V. [v68-120] [program as v68-116 but with different colour scheme] lines drawn between randomly selected points with at random selected colo0ur (red, blue and yellow); coloured ink with graphite pencil on paper

VI. [v68-121] 22 letters from the alphabet (drawn by templates of 20 mm) distributed at random; black ink with graphite pencil on paper

VII. [v68-122] randomly selected points connected by lines; black ink with graphite pencil on paper [handwritten annotations (partly in Italian) probably by Sarenco]

VIII. [v68-123] randomly selected points connected by lines; red ink with graphite pencil on paper [handwritten annotations (partly in Italian) probably by Sarenco]

IX. [v68-124] randomly selected points connected by lines with number of red lines selected at random (34% → 9) and the remaining lines black [program as v68-122]; red and black ink with graphite pencil on paper

X. [v68-125] randomly selected points connected by lines [program as v68-122]; black ink with graphite pencil on paper

XI. [v68-126] randomly selected points connected by lines; black ink with graphite pencil on paper

XII. [v68-127] 6 zones with number at random (2-10 → 6) and at random chosen number of corners (3 or 4) get a hatch pattern with lines in random direction; black ink with graphite pencil on paper

XIII. [v68-128] 'inane unfinished visual story subjected by herman de vries'; letters (template) and patterns of lines cut from magazines distributed at random; black ink, paper with graphite pencil on paper [titled 'inane unfinished visual story subjected by herman de vries']

XIV. [v68-129] 28 lines with at random selected number (0-99 → 28), length (1-9 cm), place and direction; black ink with graphite pencil on paper

XV. [v68-130] lines with at random selected number(0-99), length (1-9 cm), place and direction [program as v68-129]; black ink with graphite pencil on paper

XVI. [v68-131] 14 circles with at random selection of number (10-50 → 14), place (= center of the circle) and diameter (2-9 cm); black ink with graphite pencil on paper

XVII. [v68-132] 43 circles with at random selection of number (10-50 → 43), place (= center of the circle), and diameter (2-9 cm) [program as v68-131]; black ink with graphite pencil on paper

XVIII. [v68-133] paper squares (2 × 2 cm) randomly distributed inside the squares of a 3 × 3 cm grid; collage with black paper with graphite pencil on paper

XIX. [v68-134] inside 3 vertical zones, lines in 9 colours are placed with colour and length (0-9 cm) randomly selected in the 2 outer zones; feltpen in 9 colours with graphite pencil on paper.
in his notes herman de vries added: 'doel was een grenssituatie effect, geïnspireerd door de artikelen van [chris] van leeuwen te onderzoeken. om dit te bereiken hadden de zônes I en II breder moeten zijn en had de 0 moeten ontbreken. zó is het blad bij een oppervlakige beschouwing alleen een complexe random verdeling' [= the aim was to investigate a boundary situation effect, inspired by van leeuwen's articles. to achieve this, zones I and II should have been wider and 0 should have been missing. thus, the sheet is only a complex random distribution on a superficial view]

XX. [v68-135] inside 3 vertical zones, lines in 9 colours with at random selected length (5-12 cm) and 2 colours for each of the outer zones (the non-used colours are for the inner zone) [program as v68-134]; feltpen in 9 colours with graphite pencil on paper

XXI. [v68-137] 10 randomly selected points are the center of lines (2-9 cm, length selected at random) placed radius-wise but do not cross each other; black ink with graphite pencil on paper

exhibition history

2025	'herman de vries. 70 jaar natuur als kunstwerk', Rijksmuseum Twenthe, Enschede [v68-134 and 135]

published references

collected works	herman de vries. random objectivations. collection autori, 1 (edizioni amodulo : villanuova sul clisi 1972) image repr. on fol. 5-15.
exhibition catalogue	all this here. herman de vries pioneer between science, nature and art / Cees de Boer (Rijksmuseum Twenthe : Enschede / Jap Sam Books : Prinsenbeek 2025) image repr. on page 39 [v68-135] (colour ill. number 39), 144.