Bandontwerp met man met fiets en badmintonspelers 1880 - 1928

Johann Georg van Caspel created this design with a man, bike and badminton players in mind, but exactly when or where remains a mystery. I like how Caspel uses a limited color palette; the green, white and black marks are really doing the heavy lifting here. It’s interesting how much information he conveys with so few marks. Notice the man’s patterned socks. It is like he used a hatching technique to make it appear as if he is wearing argyle. Looking at the image as a whole, it feels like Caspel is more concerned with capturing the essence of a leisurely day than with precision. The stylised naturalism in Caspel’s design reminds me of the work of British artist Walter Crane, who, like Caspel, was interested in illustration. Art is like an ongoing conversation! There is no one right way to see this piece, and that’s what makes it so interesting.