Ornamentontwerpen op blokken 1876 - 1924

Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof made this pencil drawing called ‘Ornamentontwerpen op blokken’, or ‘Ornament Designs on Blocks’, during his time in the Netherlands. Dijsselhof was interested in how art and design could improve people's lives. He looked at patterns and geometric shapes to find ways to make everyday objects more beautiful. This piece reflects the social reformist ideals of the Dutch Arts and Crafts movement, where artists believed that art could be integrated into society. Dijsselhof was also part of the later Art Nouveau movement, which looked to non-western cultures for inspiration. To fully appreciate Dijsselhof's design you might look at how contemporary design schools were teaching their students. You might consider the ways in which Dutch artists were using art to comment on the rapid industrialization of Europe. By studying these social and institutional contexts, we can understand how Dijsselhof's designs reflect larger cultural trends.