Date: Saturday 25th of April, 2026
Time of arrival: 10.20
WL1: Shishi-leeuw (1844, Japan)
Inventarisnummer : RV-417-102
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/20e83802-795c-4235-b1b1-495bec895c8c
WL2: Plengstaaf - ikupasuy (19th, Japan)
Inventory number: RV-259-18
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/9c6c7f06-061c-417f-90a7-1c59062c5506
WL3: Grove haarkam/Coarse hair comb - ŏllebit (1800-1888, Japan)
Inventory number: RV-666-16
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/4677e72a-2c72-4455-9000-d24537e6688e
WL4: Grove haarkam/Coarse hair comb - hwagak ŏllebit (1800-1888, Korea)
Inventory number: RV-666-17
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/078531bb-29c2-4597-bd7a-2f0dd77b485d
WL5: Vishaken (1850-1897, Solomon islands)
Inventory number: RV-1134-675
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/2c43c0dc-343b-4d41-9f72-f4a626cd61f4
WL6: Godenfiguur (1800-1891, Nukuoro, Carolines, Federal States of Micronesia)
Inventory number: RV-828-63
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/9cee9e3f-755f-4fb8-817c-c61fe9286a2e
WL7: Masker (1891, Vanuatu)
Inventory number: RV-828-148
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/88fcac20-3594-4405-8189-a60b11088ebd
WL8: Masker (1850-1882, Vanuatu)
Inventory number: RV-357-47
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/1a0e3951-f342-4fe7-becd-956337bed363
WL9: Woman’s Costume (pre-1993, Quiché/Almolonga, Guatemala)
Wikkelrok
Inventory number: RV-6093-460
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/79981303-41e2-4edf-a718-bfcc88d6813b
Omslagdoek - Perraje
Inventory number: RV-6093-1
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/df6c8fa2-bf71-4359-9916-3784ee391c09
Huipil met zigzaglijnen
Inventory number: RV-6093-38
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/24bc7810-6968-4eae-84c3-9986cccdaa97
WL10: Sjamanenamulet (1860-1890, Tlingit/Southeast Alaska)
Inventory number: RV-2779-2
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/b1a6241c-eb93-4205-aaf9-bc5927e9ec3b
WL11: Kniebeschermer (300BC-300AC, Olmec, Mexico)
Inventory number: RV-5561-1
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/81354f76-fdb9-456e-a33c-4c03f44de6f6
WL12: Mand (pre-1954, Pomo, California, Indigenous North America)
Inventory number: RV-3177-2
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/8ab79c9e-bade-48a5-a640-8422097815bb
WL13: Kralen schaamschort voor vrouw - Kwéjoe (pre-1940, Lokono or Arawak, Suriname)
Inventory number: TM-1772-2249
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/11bd1e56-9c66-4673-9ba1-7186b7b52dc2
WL14: Bewerkte kalebas (19th century, Cabinda, Angola)
Inventory number: RV-497-123
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/51f4e5a4-ca65-4ea4-ae2a-1c3cd23e9bc8
WL15: Kalebasfles (pre-1889, Vili/Cabinda)
Inventory number: RV-714-4
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/aa5e4ab9-9f36-47d3-968c-cc3cc68cbab4
WL16: Kalebasfles (pre-1889, Vili/Cabinda)
Inventory number: RV-714-5
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/49f2e619-34a0-4d15-89c1-a3726210d5bc
WL17: Trom en slaghout/Dubbelvellige cilindrische trom - Gangua of Tabennguritt (pre-1950, Morrocco)
Inventory number: TM-2439-28a
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/4143c7ca-1742-474b-9978-dbf9b62c3905
WL18: Twee blaasbalgen van uitgeholde boomstammen - asiogor (pre-1916, Supiori Islands)
Inventory number: RV-3403-1
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/06e75b76-dd39-4c2b-9bfb-2cf2d5c7a384
WL19: Houten voorouderbeeld met veren hoofdtooi - korwar (ca. 1900-1940, Papua)
Inventory number: TM-1772-491a
https://collectie.wereldmuseum.nl/#/query/1c9a3a89-2c6c-40e5-9cb1-33c9b813b2aa
Reflections:
Took the train to Schipol, and from there I switched to a train stopping in Leiden, walking from the station to the Wereldmuseum Leiden. It was nice and sunny! The museum entry/main hall smelled a bit like the Amsterdam one does, just way more pungent.
This museum seems to have mostly permanent exhibits focused on different parts of the world, with one area being the temporary exhibit space.
I really noticed how much you zoom in when doing this - not just in focusing on details of objects, but also in spending prolonged time with certain objects, and then less time with others, because it’s as good as impossible to combine the drawing with “normal” museum attendance, just time wise. I got to see everything today (I ended up being there for about 4 hours), but I did not see everything in the same amount of detail, nor do I read every label or study every cabinet as closely, as I would have otherwise, because I am spending more time focused on one specific item. There is also a zoom-in in terms of surroundings. In my midterm research, I was studying the space as a whole, taking note of layouts, lighting, other visitors, etc. I still do that now, but more because I’m experiencing it than noticing, to phrase it like that - I am not observing that the lighting is dim because I am looking at the lighting, rather because I can barely make our my pale yellow pencil on the paper or my phone goes on night mode to photograph. I do not study other visitors, rather I look for good places to draw from and try to make sure I am not in anyones way. Sound however, I notice very well, and I think I became extra aware of how much today because in every room they were playing music or ambient sounds linked to the culture/region/country items on display were from, like drums and singing or arctic wind and snowscooters (I think, at least). It was a bit like when I held the lasercut wood tile and I smelled the burned wood, as I was focusing in on the object the only other thing my body perceived was sounds, noticing when they switched and when the loop had started again, trying to identify what each sound was and (if there was more than one culture/region in the same room (i.e. the case with the North Pole/Arctic and North America room)) when the audio seemed to switch from one theme to the next.
Partially because I was a bit tired, and partially because I felt like I was producing few sketches compared to the time spent in the museum, I started drawing quicker, more observational sketches, including focusing in on details. I decided that this time I was gathering details to use for illustration work at home, that it didn’t have to be perfect or “accurate”. These are much rougher, sometimes have certain details but not all re-sketched, and were mostly just done with a black 0.9 fineliner, both as it meant I wasn’t spending time finding/switching tools and because it naturally limits what I am capable of rendering. I also brought my A5 clipboard, and I feel like it made things a bit easier, at least it means my sketchbook is less floppy. I also ran out of paper in my sketchbook, and had to bring some extra. Instead of buying new sketchbooks I might just try to bind my own?
All in all it will be interesting to see how this compares to the other days, because I have more quantity than quality, but that was also an experiment in itself. I’m also starting to see that there are several items that sort of look alike each other or fit in the same categories, and I’d like to try to do something with combining those sketches. I also photographed an objected I would have liked to draw, but at that point I was really pushing myself, and so instead took several photographs of it - I will see how this compares to the on-site and THEN home sketches.
Lots of bad work today, but also some good.
Do the drawings have to be faithful?
As an illustrator, you often exaggerate, but when I’m drawing objects, I am often drawing objects that already exaggerate or transform the real world - am I ruining the work, then, if I exaggerate further, and focus on i.e. essence instead of likeness? Does this maybe vary based on the object?
Is illustrating/drawing an object more “ethical” than photographing it? Then displaying it? Are there certain things that can be displayed, but shouldn’t be engaged with through illustration?
Are there certain objects I have no right to illustrate?