Ontwerpen voor een wijnkaart en menukaart 1884 - 1952

These drawings for a wine list and menu card were made by Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries, though the date is unknown. There’s something about the light touch of the colors that’s so appealing to me. The way the grape bunches hang, dripping with potential, it’s like they’re about to spill right off the page. The whole thing is built from simplified shapes, but the colors and composition suggest abundance and a kind of gentle elegance. Look at the honey pot on the menu card. The blues and yellows make me feel calm and hungry at the same time. The way the colors are layered on the textured paper makes the image shimmer. I love how de Vries doesn’t try to hide the process, but instead, lets the imperfections become part of the work. This reminds me of other artists working in decorative arts at the time, like Aubrey Beardsley, who were interested in the beauty of everyday objects and how graphic design can transform the simplest of things into something special.