Visitekaartje van Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof 1892

Editor: This is Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof's 'Visitekaartje,' created around 1892. It's a print, a business card really, done with engraving and typography. I'm immediately drawn to how decorative and intricate it is. It almost feels more like a miniature painting than a simple card. What catches your eye when you look at it? Curator: Ah, Dijsselhof’s card. It's like a tiny portal back to the Dutch Art Nouveau, isn’t it? I feel a whisper of those fin-de-siècle dreams in this little rectangle. It makes me think of stepping into a twilight garden. It isn’t merely informative, it's suggestive, evocative. Look how he melds text and image... Do you feel how the very letters seem to bloom and curl? Editor: I do! It’s so different from how we think of business cards today. Almost dreamlike. Curator: Exactly! Now consider what a statement it made: I’m not just offering a service, but also a piece of art. What do you suppose people felt when they received it? It must have been more than just the address on Van Hoedenskerkskade 7, N.A., right? I wonder who held it, and what became of them? Editor: It definitely adds a sense of mystery. I think it gave the recipient a glimpse into Dijsselhof’s artistic soul, almost like he was handing over a piece of himself. Curator: Beautifully put! The best art always extends a kind of invitation to know. Dijsselhof, through his business card, turns a practical object into an opportunity for enchantment. Editor: I never thought of a business card as a work of art. It makes you look at everything differently. Curator: Indeed! Everyday life brims with the potential for beauty and contemplation. Thanks Dijsselhof, I will add that into my thinking!