Vlakken met esdoornbladeren, aalbessen, pimpernoot en klaproosbladeren before 1897

This is a grayscale print titled "Vlakken met esdoornbladeren, aalbessen, pimpernoot en klaproosbladeren," which translates to "Surfaces with maple leaves, currants, bladdernut and poppy leaves." Given the botanical subject and the printmaking technique, it likely originates from late 19th or early 20th-century Europe, a period when interest in the natural world intersected with developments in mass reproduction. The print's arrangement of plant studies within defined geometric shapes points to the rise of design education and pattern-making for industrial applications. As new art schools opened across Europe, there was a renewed interest in the relationship between art, design, and the decorative arts, and how these could be applied to manufacturing. This print, produced anonymously, highlights the crucial role of educational institutions in shaping artistic production. Further research into design schools of the period, trade publications, and botanical illustration would illuminate the social and institutional context that made this image possible.