Ontwerp voor een menukaart met twee vrouwen 1884 - 1952

This is a menu card design with two women by Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries. The date is unknown, but it looks like it might have been made with a light water-based paint, maybe gouache. The two female figures, rendered in a yellow-beige with a blue-green accent, are flanking the word ‘MENU’ which is also drawn in the same two colors. They stand as upright and graceful architectural supports. Their hands and arms meet to support the word "MENU" as if they’ve been asked to hold up the whole damn thing! I like how de Vries uses the human form to play with ideas about structure, decoration, and support. The figures act as both image and frame, blurring the lines between what holds and what is held. Maybe de Vries was thinking about how the simple act of creating a space to eat is also a generous act of support.