Bloem- en bladornamenten 1877 - 1880

Jac van Looij sketched "Bloem- en bladornamenten" or "Flower and Leaf Ornaments" with a pencil. Van Looij was a Dutch painter, etcher, and lithographer. It is interesting to note that Van Looij was born in a working-class neighborhood, and that he was deaf. Early in life, he apprenticed as a house painter and decorator. You can see the echo of that training in this sketch. The image embodies the aesthetics of ornamentation, which was associated with more feminine art forms and design. The emphasis is on line and shape. This work challenges the traditional hierarchy of art forms, bringing the decorative arts into the realm of fine art. Van Looij’s sketch invites us to reconsider the boundaries between art and craft, challenging traditional notions about what is considered high art.