Omslagontwerp voor: Technisch Tijdschrift, 1914 1914

Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst made this cover design for Technisch Tijdschrift in 1914. The black ink on paper is so striking. I imagine him meticulously carving into a block, each line a decisive act, slowly building up this image of a figure, an archer, pulling back their bow. You can almost feel the tension in their body, the concentration in their face. It makes you think about precision and skill but also about myth and storytelling. I'm interested in how Holst has combined these classical references with the modern world of technology represented by the journal. Holst was part of a generation grappling with how to reconcile the past with the present. It’s like he’s asking, how do we use ancient knowledge and stories to navigate this new technical landscape? It reminds me of Hilma af Klint, who was working around the same time, blending the scientific and the spiritual in her paintings. Artists are always in conversation, trying to make sense of the world, one line, one image at a time.