Ontwerpen voor een juwelenkist 1913

This design for a jewel box was done by Mathieu Lauweriks in 1913. Look at these graphite lines, how they sketch out the form of the box, turning it this way and that, as if Lauweriks were holding the idea up to the light. I can imagine him hunched over his drawing board, trying to bring his vision into being. The box takes shape in front of our eyes, with each stroke of the pencil. Think about how it feels to draw a line, to will something into being on a blank page. There's a real pleasure in that process, a mix of intention and accident. You can sense the artist's mind at work as he plays with the geometry, trying to create a container for precious things. And isn’t that what all art really is? A vessel for holding our most valuable thoughts, experiences, and memories. Lauweriks’ drawing reminds us that the artistic process is a conversation, as artists and viewers respond to one another across time.