Ornament met een ster in een rechthoek 1906 - 1945

Editor: This drawing, "Ornament met een ster in een rechthoek," from sometime between 1906 and 1945 by Reijer Stolk, is just a simple pencil and ink sketch in a book. But, to me, the page gives off a sort of quiet intensity – like someone was really working through a specific idea. What do you see in it? Curator: The drawing's geometric nature, the star within the rectangle, speaks to a deeper investigation of design principles during that period. How might we consider this sketch in light of the larger social movements, like the rise of industrial design and the Bauhaus school, that prioritized functionality and aesthetics? Editor: Oh, that’s a great point. It makes you wonder what the intended use for this ornament would have been. Curator: Exactly. The fact that it's in a sketchbook points to a private exploration, a sort of visual brainstorming. And sketchbooks often serve as records of the initial steps of design, especially because they have always represented spaces free from the pressure of producing finalized and marketable pieces. Could it be argued that this very function gives an important space to certain practices? Editor: So, you’re suggesting it’s valuable not just for what it depicts, but as a piece of design history in itself? Curator: Precisely! The marks on the side almost read as calculations. These details help us consider the social life of design. Where was this person when he made this piece, what political moment were they living through? How could that context have influenced their production of even this relatively 'simple' ornamentation? Editor: It's incredible how a simple sketch can open up so many avenues of inquiry. I definitely see it differently now. Curator: That's the power of looking at art through the lens of social history, isn’t it? Art never exists in a vacuum. Considering how such sociopolitical moments might have affected the piece makes this drawing come alive, really.