Ontwerp voor aardewerk decoratie: bloemkool en savooiekool Possibly 1917 - 1921

Theo Colenbrander made this design for earthenware decoration with pencil and watercolour, and what a choice of subject matter! Cauliflower and savoy cabbage. There's such a dense layering of marks, it's almost as if I can feel the artist’s hand moving across the paper, each stroke building up this vibrant, almost architectural form. I imagine Colenbrander completely absorbed in the intricacies of the vegetables, noticing every little detail. He’s really seeing, you know? It's pretty wild how the watery paint creates a sense of lightness, yet the composition feels so grounded and solid. Those greens, yellows, and browns, are unexpectedly beautiful! They remind me of Philip Guston. Not that the images are similar, but there's a similar use of, shall we say, 'ugly' colour combinations to create something really aesthetically pleasing. I love the ambiguity; it invites multiple interpretations and that's what makes art so endlessly fascinating.