33 Bloemornamenten voor aardewerkdecoratie en zes halfprofielen voor vazen en bakjes Possibly 1920 - 1926

Curator: Theo Colenbrander created this drawing, titled "33 Bloemornamenten voor aardewerkdecoratie en zes halfprofielen voor vazen en bakjes," likely between 1920 and 1926. It's a pencil drawing on paper. What strikes you first about it? Editor: It feels like a garden viewed through a frosted window—delicate but obscured, the lines are light, the forms repeating... It’s inherently fragmented in its composition. Curator: Indeed. As a design for ceramics, the fragmentation speaks to a process of mass production. We're seeing the precursor to repeated motifs on functional, mass-produced objects. These weren’t intended as standalone art pieces but as blueprints. Editor: Interesting! So, in that sense, it’s less about a single perfect representation of a flower and more about creating modules that can be adapted for various ceramic forms? Looking at the stark quality of the lines, I find they do maintain an undeniable visual purity—each design seems contained and very meticulously thought out. Curator: Precisely. And we have to consider the context of the Art Nouveau movement, and the rejection of industrial modes of production; while ostensibly designs for manufactured items, there's also a clear effort to retain hand-crafted individuality within them. The small text scattered about points towards careful consideration of the technical aspect of ceramics decoration. Editor: It’s quite clever. In employing seemingly simple lines Colenbrander captures what's absolutely necessary in a flower, leaving out any superfluous information and still retaining the design's essence. You pointed at production process considerations: I believe these sparse, clean lines facilitate this by cutting down labor in future stages. Curator: A sharp observation. It highlights how art and labor entwine within the framework of design. Editor: Exactly! This piece invites reflection not just on aesthetics but on how those choices reflect the economic conditions of its making. Curator: In examining the design principles as functions of labor, we have unpacked some of the fascinating layers embedded within what appears at first glance to be simply preliminary sketches. Editor: And to think, all from some outlines of flowers! I'll look at my teacups with fresh eyes now.