Twee banden met een bladmotief 1876 - 1924

Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof created this sketch titled 'Two bands with a leaf motif' using graphite on paper. Dijsselhof was working during a pivotal time when ideas about national identity were being constructed and expressed through art. In the late 19th century, he became known as a decorative artist, designing furniture, tiles, and graphic work that celebrated the aesthetics of the Dutch East Indies. Dijsselhof spent much of his childhood in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). His art often integrated Indonesian cultural motifs into the Art Nouveau style. Here, we see leaf patterns that might reference botanical elements found in Indonesian landscapes. These designs weren't just aesthetic choices; they reflected a complex relationship between Dutch colonial power and the exoticized image of the East. Dijsselhof developed alternative narratives by blending these cultural symbols, offering a personal reflection on his bicultural background and identity. The sketch offers an intimate glimpse into the artist's design process, hinting at the broader themes of cultural exchange and identity construction during the colonial era.