sketchbook III 'de dood'

catalogue number: hdv 1968.014.3a-l
date created: 1968
classification: works on paper
work type: sketchbook
medium: black and red ink, graphite pencil and black rub-off letters on paper, in sketchbook with cardboard covers and metal spiral binding
see also 'extended description'
dimensions: 12 sheets each 24 × 32 cm (motif size 24 × 24 cm, but some drawings full page)
signature and inscriptions: titled 'de dood III' on the cover (ink)
signed, dedication 'geschenk aan susanne, I-VI, sept. '71 / susanne jacob [de vries]' and number 'T922-X-1983' on the reverse of the cover (biro and pencil)
[titled 'a.r. [= at random]', ]signed and dated/work number on the reverse (pencil)
edition:
current repository: collection Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Stuttgart
current repository number: DKM GR. 1011, 3
collecting history: acquired directly from the artist
related works:
comment: the sheets numbered II (V68-139), IV (V68-141), VII (V68-144), IC (V68-146) and X (V68-147) are also numbered 20-24 in circles on the front; the number refers to the page in the anthology random objectivations (1972)
photo/scan: courtesy Staatsgalerie Stuttgart
rights & reproduction: herman de vries/Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Stuttgart
extended description

I. [v68-138] randomly distributed letters of the text by herman de vries: 'ik zal teksten schrijven en tot op het laatste woord afbreken, mededelen en bevrijden' [missing 5 × t, 6 × e and 1 × v and 1 × s too much - note by herman de vries]; black ink with graphite pencil on paper

II. [v68-139] the four sides are numbered 1 to 80 (20 on each side); 2 randomly selected points are connected by a line; each line is the starting point of a group of lines (2 to 9) placed 1 cm to the left or right; the number of groups is 20, the number of lines and the colour (red and black) are selected at random; black and red ink with graphite pencil on paper

III. [v68-140] letters in 5 sizes of the text 'die welt zerfällt in tatsachen' [source: L. Wittgenstein, Tractatus logico-philosophicus 1.2.] randomly distributed; black rub-off letters with graphite pencil on paper

IV. [v68-141] the four sides are numbered 1 to 80 (20 on each side); 2 randomly selected points are connected by a line; each line is the starting point of a group of 2-9 lines placed 1 cm to the left or right; the number of groups is 9, the number of lines is selected at random [program as v68-139]; black ink with graphite pencil on paper

V. [v68-142] 8 pairs of lines (out of 2-10 with the same length, no crossings) arranged at random; black ink with graphite pencil on paper

VI. [v68-143] 21 points randomly arranged (the end is determined by the moment at which 10× a place was found that was not allowed); starting from these points lines are drawn in randomly selected directions of 10° (10-360°) and no crossings allowed; black ink with graphite pencil on paper

VII. [v68-144] vertical rectangles arranged at a distance of 1 cm relative to each other with randomly selected width and number (2-9); if necessary the last rectangle will be shortened; black ink with graphite pencil on paper

VIII. [v68-145] vertical rectangles arranged at a distance of 1 cm relative to each other with randomly selected width and number (2-9); if necessary the last rectangle will be shortened [program as v68-144]; black ink with graphite pencil on paper

IX. [v68-146] vertical rectangles arranged at a distance of 1 cm relative to each other with randomly selected width and number (2-9); if necessary the last rectangle will be shortened [program as v68-144]; black ink with graphite pencil on paper

X. [v68-147] vertical rectangles arranged at a distance of 1 cm relative to each other, randomly selected width (1-30 cm) and number (1-9); if necessary the last rectangle will be shortened; black ink with graphite pencil on paper

XI. [v68-148] vertical rectangles arranged at a distance of 1 cm relative to each other, randomly selected width (1-30 cm) and number (1-9); if necessary the last rectangle will be shortened [program as v68-147]; black ink with graphite pencil on paper

XII. [v68-149] vertical rectangles arranged at a distance of 1 cm relative to each other, randomly selected width (1-30 cm) and number (1-9); if necessary the last rectangle will be shortened [program as v68-147]; black ink with graphite pencil on paper

published references
anthology herman de vries, random objectivations. collection autori, 1 (edizioni amodulo : villanuova sul clisi 1972) image repr. on fol. 20-24.