Omslagontwerp voor: De dierenvriend. Geïllustreerd tijdschrift voor dierenvrienden, 1907 1907

Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries made this cover design for “The Animal Friend” magazine in 1907. It’s a monochrome drawing, but that doesn’t limit its vibrancy. The design teems with life, even the abstract swirls feel organic. It’s like Vries found a way to make ink bloom. Look at the way the lines are drawn, so decisive and clean, yet they create these fluid forms. See how the horses and dogs around the fountain are stylized but full of character? There’s a graphic clarity here, everything carefully considered in the composition. The stylized wings at the bottom remind me of feathers, or maybe a stylized mustache. It reminds me a bit of Aubrey Beardsley’s illustrations, but with a softer, more optimistic feel. Art is just a big conversation, isn't it? A back-and-forth, a remixing of ideas that never really ends. It’s so good.