Bovenste gedeelte van een bokaal met drie te variëren onderdelen

This drawing, currently held in the Rijksmuseum, depicts an ornamental design for the upper part of a goblet, meticulously crafted with ink. The piece is structured into three distinct horizontal registers, each presenting a unique scene encased within decorative borders. The topmost register showcases a landscape, whilst the center features a grotesque mask flanked by foliage. The bottom segment contains a marine monster positioned between human figures. The artist plays with symmetry and contrast, balancing naturalistic and grotesque elements to create a dynamic visual experience. The drawing’s structural clarity and the calculated arrangement of motifs suggest an engagement with early design principles. The borders, adorned with scrollwork and geometric patterns, frame each register like a stage, highlighting the theatricality inherent in such ornamental displays. These patterns, coupled with the symbolic creatures, propose a visual semiotic that invites reflection on how design mediates meaning.