Ontwerpen voor boekbanden en -illustraties voor publicaties van Uitgeversmaatschappij L.J. Veen 1887 - 1970

This drawing presents designs for bookbindings and illustrations for publications by Uitgeversmaatschappij L.J. Veen, brought to life by various makers. Look at these symbols, each one a little world, neatly arranged, repeated, but not quite the same. Did the artists sit at a table, each with their own pens and ideas, sketching and refining, turning pages into destinations? I imagine the designers, hunched over their desks, fueled by coffee, sketching, erasing, and refining. The arrows suggesting movement and direction, the circular motifs implying completeness, and the rectangular forms conveying structure and order. The artist’s hand is evident in the small imperfections, the slight variations in line thickness, the subtle asymmetry of each element. Thinking about Agnes Martin's grids comes to mind, the quiet rhythm of repetition. These designs aren't just decorations, but rather are systems of visual communication, each symbol a potential portal to another world.