Vijfde ontwerp voor marmerdecoratie in de Hoge Raad te Den Haag c. 1868 - 1938

This design for marble decoration in the Hoge Raad in Den Haag, was made by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst, most likely with pencil, ink and watercolour. The muted palette and graphic style give it a kind of quiet authority. You can see a softness in the washes of gray and green, especially in the lower portion. Notice the textural contrast with the sharper, more defined figures above. This is where Holst plays with opacity and transparency, letting the under-drawing show through in the figures and architectural details. I wonder if this was always the plan or whether the artist had to correct or restate parts of the work. In the top-left, the angels are rendered with such economy, mere suggestions of form. Look at the confident strokes which bring these figures to life. Holst has managed to suggest volume and movement with minimal means. It reminds me a little of the way Giotto was able to convey emotion and spirituality in his frescoes. Both share a sense of directness. Ultimately, this work invites contemplation, offering no fixed answers, only a space for reflection.