Ornament met kwastjes 1884 - 1952

This ‘Ornament met kwastjes’ was made by Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries using pen and watercolour. I love that the artist has left some of the pencil lines visible. It’s like they're saying, "Hey, this is how I figured it out!" The blue and yellow are so delicate and precise; it makes me think about the kind of focus and attention it takes to create patterns like this. You can almost see the artist turning the paper as they carefully laid down each shape. Look at the tassels! They're not just hanging there; they have a bit of weight to them. The texture of the paper peeks through the washes of color, adding another layer of visual interest. It's this blend of control and looseness that really grabs me. It reminds me a bit of Hilma af Klint's early abstract paintings. She also used precise geometric shapes and a limited palette to explore deeper, spiritual ideas. With both artists, there’s no fixed meaning, just a playful exploration of form and color.