Ontwerp voor een oorkonde van de Vereniging ter Bevordering van de Belangen des Boekhandels 1912

This "Ontwerp voor een oorkonde van de Vereniging ter Bevordering van de Belangen des Boekhandels" was designed by Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries. I imagine him carefully applying watercolor to paper, layering those delicate purples, browns, and blues. It's like a visual poem, right? The artist meticulously combines calligraphy with ornate illustration, framing the official text with decorative motifs. Each carefully drawn flourish feels intentional. I can imagine De Vries thinking about the balance between the formal qualities of the text and the decorative elements. I wonder if De Vries was thinking of illuminated manuscripts when he designed this? The way the text is presented within a decorative border, it reminds me of the craftsmanship and care you see in medieval books. It’s as if he’s connecting this certificate to a longer history of honoring knowledge and artistry. It reminds me that artists are always in conversation with one another, borrowing, remixing, and pushing the boundaries of tradition.