Boekenlegger in blauw met gebatikt patroon, waaronder een boommotief in de puntige uiteinden before 1909

Here's a blue bookmark with a batik pattern, including a tree motif on its pointy ends. I love how the batik technique allows the image to almost emerge from the material itself. The tree on each end feels delicate, like it’s been coaxed out of the blue. You can see how Willem Karel Rees built it up, layer by layer. I imagine Rees meticulously applying wax, maybe in a small studio filled with the scent of dyes. What was he thinking as he created this? Did he see the tree as a symbol of growth, knowledge, or simply as a beautiful form? The colour is so restful. It reminds me of quiet afternoons spent amongst trees, reading. The subtle irregularities of the batik lend a handmade, intimate quality. It feels like a conversation across time and material. Isn’t it amazing how a simple object like a bookmark can hold so much beauty and thought? It reminds me of the way artists are always in dialogue, building on each other's ideas.