Ontwerp voor een datumblad voor het album 1865-1905 1905

This is Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries’s design for a title page, made with pencil on paper. The design commemorates the years 1865 to 1905, framing “1 Mei,” or May Day, a date laden with significance. De Vries, working in the Netherlands, seems to draw upon the spirit of labor movements which had gained traction throughout Europe and the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. May Day, celebrated as International Workers' Day, marks the fight for the eight-hour workday and honors the labor movement. The ornamental design and ironwork lettering suggests both industrial production and the artistry of craft. The page memorializes a period marked by burgeoning labor rights and the struggle for social justice. It reminds us of the ongoing pursuit of equitable working conditions, connecting historical struggles with contemporary concerns.