Statendam 1928

This lithograph promoting the Holland-America Line's Statendam ship was made by Cassandre, who was really into graphic design and poster art. Look at those forms! They're so simplified, it’s almost like he's building blocks. I love how the circles become these looming, mysterious shapes. The color palette is so restrained – it's all about the earth tones, and that smooth, airbrushed look gives it a real machine-age vibe, like something out of a sci-fi movie. The lines create the illusion of the ocean liner being taller than what it is, making the ship look more powerful. This piece reminds me of the work of Stuart Davis, you know, how he could take everyday objects and turn them into these dynamic, jazzy compositions. Cassandre is doing something similar here, turning a massive ocean liner into this sleek, modern icon. It’s all about capturing that sense of speed, progress, and the excitement of travel. It’s an exchange of ideas through time, and I love how it embraces ambiguity over fixed meanings.