Schotel met constructivistisch ornament c. 1928

This is "Schotel met constructivistisch ornament," or dish with constructivist ornament, by Chris van der Hoef. I don't know when it was made, but it's constructed from ceramic. What strikes me here is the way Van der Hoef balances utility with, well, total abstraction. These shapes are so simple, right? It's almost like a child's drawing, but the color choices and the arrangement are so sophisticated, so deliberate. I'm always fascinated by how artists can take basic forms and push them into something that feels deeply expressive. Look at that red circle, intersected by those two black lines. It's such a bold, confident move, and it completely transforms the piece. It makes me think of Bauhaus design, maybe someone like Kandinsky, who was also playing with how simple shapes and colors could evoke complex emotions. Art is like one big conversation, everyone riffing off each other, and this piece is definitely part of that dialogue. It is also an object, a cup to be used, reminding us that art is always there to be discovered if we look closely.