Bloemornamenten 1884 - 1952

Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries created this delicate study of floral ornaments in graphite on paper. De Vries, who lived through both World Wars, had a career spanning a period of immense social upheaval and change, and in his work, we see a longing for the delicate beauty of nature, a beauty that was being threatened by industrialization. This piece is so interesting because it is not just a sketch, but a study. You see the artist working to understand how to represent the natural world through his art. It’s an intimate glimpse into the artist’s process, a window into his way of thinking. The floral designs serve as a reminder of the simple, yet profound beauty that surrounds us, a beauty that, perhaps, de Vries hoped to preserve through his art. The act of sketching, studying, and creating these ornaments becomes an act of conservation, an attempt to hold onto something precious and fleeting.