Ontwerp voor een monogram c. 1901

This is Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof’s drawing for a monogram at the Rijksmuseum. Look at that circular emblem – imagine Dijsselhof teasing out those intertwined initials, wrestling with the curves and lines until they sit just so. I wonder if he felt the pressure of legacy, knowing these symbols might outlive him, stamped onto stationery or buildings for decades to come. The density of the mark, and the delicacy of the drawing, give the work a sense of purpose. What does this emblem represent? It might be a logo for a business, a family crest, or even a personal signature. A mark is not so far from a painting, and as in painting the choice of line and tone makes all the difference. Dijsselhof's monogram sits within a longer conversation about language and art. It's as if he's whispering, "Here's my mark, my thought – what's yours?"