Bandontwerp voor: Uren met Schopenhauer. Boeken van wijsheid en schoonheid, 1913 1913

This is Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries’s book cover design for "Hours with Schopenhauer," made in 1913. Look at the blue here, it’s so flat it’s almost screaming. The shapes are bold, almost cartoon-like, like something Henri Matisse would do if he took up graphic design. The texture seems printed or stamped, which makes sense for a book cover, right? But, think about how the mechanical process contrasts with the organic, swirling shapes. It's like the mind and the machine are trying to dance together. Take a look at the semi-circular forms at the bottom. They look like stylized citrus fruits, halved and neatly arranged. Are they just decoration, or a suggestion of something more? What do oranges have to do with Schopenhauer? It’s a puzzle, and I love that. De Vries's bold use of color and form reminds me a little of some of the German Expressionists or maybe even a bit of Art Nouveau. The world is a conversation, an exchange of ideas. There isn't one single meaning; there are layers upon layers.