Ontwerp voor een boekrug voor: Stijn Streuvels, Reinaert de Vos, 1910 before 1910

Editor: So, here we have a design for a book binding from before 1910, "Ontwerp voor een boekrug voor: Stijn Streuvels, Reinaert de Vos," housed here at the Rijksmuseum. I immediately notice this intricate pattern work and geometric abstraction. How would you interpret the significance of these recurring forms? Curator: The geometry strikes me too. Look at the upper register -- nested triangles and diamonds. Given its use as a book cover design, this imagery likely carries symbolic weight tied to the narrative of "Reinaert de Vos," or Reynard the Fox. Geometric patterns in art often serve as visual mnemonics, shorthand for deeper cultural or spiritual meanings. I wonder, how might the artist be using these forms to allude to the cunning or trickery associated with the fox? Editor: That's fascinating! So you're saying it might not just be decoration, but a coded reference to the story itself? Are there certain visual tropes commonly associated with trickster figures that we should look for? Curator: Exactly! Think of the diamond shape – often representing hidden knowledge or secrets. And the repeated triangular forms? Perhaps echoes of the fox’s sharp wit, its cunning. Notice how these shapes create a border; boundaries often point to what lies beyond the surface, what is concealed. Also, given the Art Nouveau style, it draws on visual cues that would resonate with contemporary viewers, evoking folk traditions and archetypes. Editor: I never would have considered it from that perspective! Now I’m seeing how those simple shapes create something so layered with meaning. I wonder if those dots are meaningful? Curator: The dots are interesting. What if those are an illusion? Or maybe coins he's acquired? Ultimately it shows just how potent symbols are for a book called Reynard the Fox. Thanks so much for noticing the design! I see many people walk right past it! Editor: I definitely will not be one of those! Thanks for helping me think about these patterns on this book cover as a visual language to decipher!