Menukaart Château de Haarzuylens déjeuner 1896

This menu card for a déjeuner at the Château de Haarzuylens was designed by Mathieu Lauweriks. It is an example of early 20th-century printmaking. The design’s impact hinges on the process by which it was made, likely a combination of lithography and letterpress, with a single color block printed onto paper. The flat, stylized forms and crisp lines are characteristic of the era's graphic design. The choice of a muted blue ink on a cream-colored paper creates a refined, understated aesthetic. This card’s social significance lies in its connection to elite dining culture. The production of such items reflected a specific set of social relations, where skilled artisans catered to the tastes of wealthy patrons. The card served as a token of hospitality, a carefully crafted object meant to enhance the dining experience for guests of the Château. The value of this piece resides not only in its aesthetic appeal, but also in its testimony to the integration of craft and commerce. It shows the work involved in creating even a seemingly simple object, challenging any strict separation between fine art and design.