Visitekaartje van drukkerij Pierre Vande Steene te Gent c. 1841 - 1874

This is the business card of the printing company Pierre Vande Steene in Ghent. The card presents a symmetrical composition, featuring a central rectangular area of green and floral motifs surrounded by decorative elements and cherubic figures. Notice how the symmetry creates a balanced effect, yet it is complicated by asymmetries in the cherubs' poses and the organic flow of the floral and vegetal borders, suggesting a tension between formal order and naturalistic spontaneity. This tension is further reflected in the contrast between the geometric regularity of the inner rectangle and the exuberance of the Rococo-inspired ornamentation. The design evokes a sense of ornate craftsmanship, yet the printing medium introduces an element of mechanical reproduction. This juxtaposition creates a visual dialectic that destabilizes conventional categories of high and low art, and manual versus mechanical production. This card not only advertises a printing service but also comments on the changing landscape of artistic production in the age of mechanical reproduction.