Ontwerpen voor servetringen 1874 - 1932

Mathieu Lauweriks made these napkin ring designs with pencil on paper. I love seeing the artist's hand so clearly, the quick decisions, the subtle variations. Look at the top right napkin ring, how it seems to twist and turn, like a little sculpture. The pencil marks are confident, but not overly precise, suggesting a playful exploration of form. You can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the page, experimenting with different shapes and textures. The simplicity of the medium, just pencil on paper, really lets the designs speak for themselves. It reminds me of some of the early modernist architects and designers, who were interested in stripping away ornamentation and getting back to basic forms. Although these napkin rings are small domestic objects, the designs share a similar interest in geometry, repetition, and the beauty of simple, functional forms.