Ornament met driehoek 1884 - 1952

This blue linocut, "Ornament met driehoek", was made by Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries. It’s a small thing, but it’s got a punchy graphic quality. De Vries' approach to mark-making is all about the bold contrast between the deep blue ink and the off-white paper. You can almost feel the pressure of the block against the page. The image has this quality, it's so direct, not messing around with shading or subtlety. There's something so satisfying about the shapes here – the curves nestled within the triangle, like a little secret code. It’s as though he's playing with the idea of an initial, or maybe even a logo. It reminds me a little of Hilma af Klint's diagrams, full of esoteric meanings. There’s a sense of play here. It's like a visual puzzle that invites you to make up your own story. Art is ongoing conversations.