Vosmeer, Willem van Egmond 1894 - 1901

Antoon Derkinderen made this drawing, ‘Vosmeer, Willem van Egmond,’ with chalk and graphite. It presents an interesting view into the institutional history of art and design in the Netherlands around the turn of the 20th century. In its heraldic imagery and stylized lettering, the image revives medieval graphic conventions but in a self-consciously modern way. During the 1890s, there was increasing interest among Dutch artists and intellectuals in design reform. Many believed art should serve a social function, uplifting public taste and revitalizing traditional crafts. Here, Derkinderen, who taught at the State Academy of Fine Arts in Amsterdam, seems to be exploring new approaches to graphic design that evoke a sense of national identity. The drawing is also a personal tribute from the artist to Willem van Egmond Vosmeer, who was a professor of architecture. By consulting exhibition reviews, archival records, and design journals of the period, we can further understand the artistic and political context of the piece. Art always speaks to the concerns of its own time.