Ontwerp voor een boekband met het wapen van Den Haag en Amsterdam 1874 - 1945

Editor: This is "Ontwerp voor een boekband met het wapen van Den Haag en Amsterdam," dating sometime between 1874 and 1945, by Carel Adolph Lion Cachet. It’s currently at the Rijksmuseum. The symmetry is striking, almost like a mirrored image, and the level of detail suggests an old engraving style. What historical elements stand out to you in this sketch? Curator: What immediately jumps out are the coats of arms for The Hague and Amsterdam. This suggests a commission, likely for a special edition book or a commemorative volume perhaps related to an event connecting the two cities. Do you notice how one version is a darker ink than the other? Editor: Yes, one looks like it has been filled in with more ink and attention, whereas other elements have just sketched outlines. It feels unfinished somehow. Curator: Precisely! This makes me wonder about the politics of the commission. Was there a particular emphasis on one city over the other? Or perhaps the patron had strong ties to a specific city and wanted its coat of arms to be more visually prominent? Also consider the timeline, 1874 to 1945, a period encompassing major social and political upheavals in the Netherlands. How might these larger societal events be mirrored, even subtly, in what might seem a purely decorative piece? Editor: So, even a "simple" book binding design could reflect the tensions and power dynamics of the time? It's fascinating to consider. I will definitely keep an eye out for similar elements in other works. Curator: Exactly. It is always important to look at where it might have been consumed and the subtle political meanings it conveyed to contemporary audiences. It transforms a seemingly innocuous sketch into a complex statement about civic identity and patronage.