Ontwerp voor een oorkonde van de Nederlandsche Maatschappij voor Nijverheid en Handel, met engelen en aan nijverheid gerelateerde objecten 1922

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet designed this certificate for the Dutch Society for Industry and Trade as a woodcut. As a relief printing technique, woodcut involves carving away parts of a woodblock, inking the raised surface, and pressing it onto paper. The stark contrast between black ink and the paper is a defining feature of woodcut. The texture of the woodblock is visible, adding depth and tactility to the design. The bold lines and simplified forms give the image its graphic quality, characteristic of the Art Nouveau style. Cachet had a background in decorative arts, and here he uses imagery of angels, dragons, and tools to promote industry and trade. The Dutch Society was founded in 1777 to promote economic growth and technological advancement in the Netherlands. Cachet’s image demonstrates the relationship between commerce, craft, and national identity. It reminds us that graphic design, like any other form of making, is always embedded in a specific social and political context.