Omslagontwerp voor: Wendingen, 1921 1921

Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst created this cover design for "Wendingen" in 1921. The image combines geometric abstraction with a classical figure, rendered in a style echoing ancient Greek art. "Wendingen," meaning "Upheavals," was a Dutch art and architecture journal, and this cover reflects the publication’s embrace of progressive artistic movements. Made in the Netherlands after the First World War, it represents a period of social change, and a desire to break with tradition. The figure laden with grapes hints at ideas about abundance, and the fruits of labour, reflecting the socialist ideals that Holst held dear. The journal itself played a key role in shaping the Dutch art scene, promoting new ideas, and providing a platform for artists to experiment. To understand this cover fully, we might consult the archives of "Wendingen", as well as studies of early 20th-century Dutch art and design. Ultimately, the meaning of this artwork is inseparable from the social and institutional context in which it was produced.