Vlechtwerk en ranken 1785

Curator: At first glance, this print feels so orderly, so balanced, but with a hint of whimsy. There’s something calming in its delicate symmetry. Editor: Here we have "Vlechtwerk en ranken," or "Wickerwork and tendrils," an ink drawing dating back to 1785. Jean Baptiste Echantillon created this engraving, now held at the Rijksmuseum. What interests me immediately is the labor embedded in its production—the crafting of patterns meant to guide further craft. Curator: Yes, absolutely! It’s a study in line, and how line can create both rigid form and flowing movement. I'm particularly drawn to how each motif uses only the suggestion of volume through carefully placed strokes. Editor: I am more interested in where this would have appeared. Notice the text "Dessins des Fleurs Platitudes et Guirlandes pour le Tambour et pour la Broderie" suggesting these were guides. Echantillon himself, described as Brodeur Royal in Lyon, France—a royal embroiderer. We are not looking at fine art necessarily, but rather the means of production. It's a fascinating glimpse into the intersection of artisanal labor and decorative arts of the time. Curator: I see that; yet each small design on the sheet seems to evoke its own unique emotion. The serpentine ribbon almost dances, while the radiating starburst feels surprisingly modern. Perhaps it's about intended use and then transcending its purpose? Editor: Indeed, and how that intended use speaks to social hierarchy and systems of production, and questions what we value as art and what as purely utilitarian, and how the line is not so clear! Curator: I’ll certainly be pondering that distinction after our chat today! Editor: As will I. It’s always a valuable exercise to reassess our own criteria and value systems.