Stamp Design Empress Zita (not accepted) 1917

This stamp design by Koloman Moser is rendered with ink on paper. Moser takes a systematic approach to creating the outer frame of the stamp. Notice the repetition of triangular forms which create a border. It’s almost like he’s building the image brick by brick. There's a really cool tension here between precision and fluidity. The geometric frame is contrasted with the flowing lines of the Empress’s profile. I love the tension in the bottom left corner where we see that the '14' overlaps the frame. The '1' is imperfectly filled-in so you can still see some of the original white of the paper. Moser, a contemporary of Gustav Klimt, worked across painting, graphic design, and decorative arts. In his paintings you see that same combination of clear lines with strong colours which link him to art nouveau, though you can also sense the influence of the Vienna Secession. For me, the real juice of art lies in that space between intention and accident.