Ontwerp voor een kwitantie 1869 - 1925

Antoon Derkinderen made this receipt design using pen and brush in the Netherlands. This drawing reflects the aesthetic values of the Dutch Arts and Crafts movement which took inspiration from medieval designs. Look at the way that Derkinderen’s drawing uses decorative lettering and botanical motifs to transform a document of payment into a work of art. This interest in the aesthetics of graphic design was very much linked to the economic and social context of the time. With industrialization, there was a renewed interest in craftsmanship, and a concern about the dehumanizing effects of mass production. The Arts and Crafts movement sought to counter this by revaluing manual skill and aesthetic refinement. In order to find out more about the cultural background of this artwork, we might turn to archives of design history, political manifestos, and museum collections related to the history of graphic design.