Decoratieve patronen c. 1916 - 1945

Reijer Stolk made this drawing, titled "Decorative Patterns," at an unknown date and with unknown materials. It now resides in the Rijksmuseum. Stolk was born in the Netherlands, and he died in a concentration camp in 1945. The social conditions in which he was born and lived his life were, therefore, ones of dramatic upheaval, particularly in the 1930s and 40s. His work raises the question of what role art has in a time of political turmoil. Is it an escape? Is it a form of resistance? Here, we see sketches of various patterns, all in horizontal bands. They seem to be possibilities for decorative borders, perhaps for wallpaper or textiles. The marks on the page are rather tentative, suggesting the artist is searching for the right image. The presence of these sketches in the Rijksmuseum highlights the role of the institution in preserving a range of cultural artifacts, from finished masterpieces to more personal artistic explorations. Understanding Stolk's drawing involves considering it within the context of his life and times. Scholarly resources such as letters and archives might shed light on the function of the images he created.