Detailstudies van een poon 1876 - 1924

Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof made this study of gurnard fish, a preliminary work in pencil, for his prints, paintings, and textile designs. Dijsselhof was a Dutch artist working at the turn of the 20th century, when there was a heightened interest in the decorative arts. The details of the gurnard are carefully observed, but they're also clearly meant as components of an overall design. Dijsselhof was deeply involved with the Dutch Arts and Crafts movement, which rejected industrial manufacturing in favor of handmade goods. These were seen as a form of social reform, in contrast to what they viewed as the dehumanizing effects of mass production. To better understand Dijsselhof’s work, one might look into publications like 'The Studio,' which promoted the Arts and Crafts aesthetic, or the manifestos of socialist art critics of the period. With further research, we can see how Dijsselhof's art reflects the social and institutional contexts of his time.