Het boek in onze dagen / beschreven en afgebeeld door R. van der Meulen 1892

This is the title page of ‘Het boek in onze dagen’, a book by Rimmer van der Meulen, printed in 1902. The visual structure here is clean and deliberately balanced. The layout employs a minimalist aesthetic, focusing on the interplay between text and space. The typography, executed in a straightforward serif font, speaks to the functional aspects of the book. It is designed more for utility than for decoration. This pared-down approach mirrors late 19th-century functionalism. The structuralist approach to book design emphasizes the book’s role as a medium. Note how the emptiness of the page draws attention to the act of reading itself. By stripping away ornamentation, the designer invites us to consider the very essence of what a book is for, its purpose as a vehicle for communication and knowledge. The design embodies a shift in thinking, valuing clarity and function over elaborate displays. This resonates with broader intellectual movements questioning traditional values and exploring new modes of expression.