Sluitvignet 1884 - 1952

Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries made this drawing, Sluitvignet, with pencil and brush, on paper. I can just imagine him, probably in a pragmatic mood, methodically laying down the groundwork for the image. I love how the graphic elements meet so simply and directly: a series of triangles and curves, carefully placed, and joined by flowing lines. What was he thinking as he made it? Was it a design for something larger? I’m drawn to the way he lets some of the lines trail off. It's like a little peek behind the curtain, hinting at the decisions and adjustments along the way. You can see the under-drawing - the grid. This piece reminds me of the designs of William Morris, but with a harder edge. It makes me think about the connections between art and design, and how artists and designers are always borrowing and riffing off each other's ideas. It's one big conversation, really. Each artist takes what they need and transforms it into something new. It’s the kind of openness that keeps the conversation going.