Ornament met acanthusbladeren 1877 - 1880

This drawing of acanthus leaves ornament was made by Jac van Looij using graphite. The immediate impression is one of classical symmetry. Two orbs anchor the design, each meticulously framed by curling acanthus leaves. These leaves, rendered with varying pressure of graphite, create a tactile sense of depth and movement across the surface. Looij's approach here reflects a formal understanding of classical design, yet there's a visible tension. The unfinished quality, especially in the rendering of the left-hand orb, invites us to consider the drawing as a study, a process, rather than a finished statement. The use of light and shadow is deployed to explore form, testing the boundaries between representation and abstraction. The work challenges our expectations of classical ornament. The linear precision is evident in the detailed rendering of the acanthus leaves, set against the comparative emptiness within the orbs. This allows for a contemporary re-evaluation of classical artistic principles. It encourages us to view tradition not as a static, fixed concept, but as something to be actively engaged with, questioned, and reinterpreted.