Kopvignet met palingen in 'Kunst en samenleving' 1893 - 1927

Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof made this ‘Kopvignet met palingen in 'Kunst en samenleving'’ with ink on paper. The title translates as ‘Head vignette with eels in ‘Art and Society’, and it's all about the process of making, right? The eels are arranged in such a decorative way. What I find so fascinating is the texture. You see the tiny jagged lines of the eels against the paper. The contrast between these shapes creates a really interesting tension, a kind of visual vibration. The texture of the paper is palpable. It reminds me a bit of the work of someone like Hilma af Klint, where the organic and the geometric sort of blend together. It's like Dijsselhof is showing us that art is not just about the finished product, but about the whole messy, beautiful process of creation. It embraces ambiguity, allowing for multiple readings, a true conversation across time.