Philips lampen 1906 - 1945

Reijer Stolk made this image for Philips Lampen with pen and brush in grey ink and graphite. It’s all about tonal variations. The greys dance from light to dark, creating a hand seemingly emerging from a shadowy background. Look how the ink bleeds ever so slightly, giving the edges a soft, almost blurry quality. This isn't about precision. Instead, it’s about the process, the way the ink moves on the paper, the artist's hand guiding it but also letting it do its thing. That dark patch, behind the lightbulb, it’s like a void, a space of infinite potential. And the hand, it’s not just holding a lightbulb; it’s holding an idea. I’m reminded of Man Ray, maybe because of the monochrome palette, but also in the way both artists embrace experimentation. It’s a reminder that art, like light, is all about playing with shadows, with ambiguity, with the endless possibilities of interpretation.