Ornamentele rand met eksters c. 1910

This decorative border with magpies was made by Bernard Willem Wierink, but when exactly, we can't be sure. I see these birds marching across the surface. They’re so intent! Each element seems carefully considered, precisely placed. I wonder about the artist's hand, repeating the pattern, making tiny adjustments. The block-print aesthetic is interesting, the flat matte colour brings a quiet feeling to it. It makes me think about the difference between the mechanical and the handmade. Did Wierink embrace the mechanical, or try to resist it? How much control did he want over the final image? I imagine the artist relishing the repetitive and meditative act. The act of painting is like keeping a diary. Each gesture represents a thought or a feeling. It is a form of embodied expression. Painting allows for ambiguity, multiple interpretations, and meaning.