Ontwerp voor een glas in lood-koepel voor de muziekzaal van het schip J.P. Coen 1874 - 1945

Curator: Here we have a design drawing rendered in watercolor. The Rijksmuseum attributes it to Carel Adolph Lion Cachet, and it’s labeled "Design for a stained-glass dome for the music room of the ship J.P. Coen." It seems to come from somewhere between 1874 and 1945. Editor: Well, my immediate feeling is…tense! The colors, especially that strong red, are rather overwhelming, but those snarling lion heads flanking what looks like some kind of ornate vessel—it gives the impression of watching a guard at the gates to somewhere. Is this aggressive or protective? Curator: Knowing that this design was intended for the music room of a ship perhaps suggests something of both. The J.P. Coen was a ship named for a controversial figure in Dutch colonial history; it stands to reason the décor might project both power and security, even a certain anxiety regarding colonial holdings. Editor: You know, the gridlines underneath suggest it's a carefully measured, planned out design. It's meant to impress, definitely. It is very art nouveau in the symmetrical stylization of the lions. There's something almost heraldic about the whole composition. Curator: Precisely. Cachet worked a great deal in the decorative arts. One can see how design elements referencing power, control and commerce might offer those enjoying the music room a sense of confidence and cultivated taste while onboard. These kinds of interiors would serve as potent symbols of the Dutch Empire’s success. Editor: But those angry lions, that specific shade of red—I can’t help but see the tension, a guarded display masking anxieties of a system built upon conquest. It feels...unsettled, as opulent as it is. The little details are exquisite, really; you can see the artist has tried to play with shape, color and pattern to produce a complete sensorial overload, the perfect way to mask any sense of trepidation Curator: Absolutely. The placement within a ship's music room offers a space specifically designed to relax the wealthy elite and investors traveling onboard, and one has to consider its psychological and perhaps even propagandistic function. It really does suggest a deep dive into the visual language of empire and all its complexities. Editor: It is something to consider, all those layers hidden beneath the beauty of patterns, shape and stained glass. Thanks for bringing that context, I won't see angry lions the same way for quite a while.