Ontwerp voor raam in het Stadhuis in Amsterdam Possibly 1930 - 1934

Editor: This is Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst’s "Ontwerp voor raam in het Stadhuis in Amsterdam," possibly from 1930-1934, located at the Rijksmuseum. It seems to be a design for a stained glass window. I’m struck by how medieval it feels, and how the artist has used color to create depth. What catches your eye in this piece? Curator: I observe that the artist presents the viewer with a carefully constructed arrangement of figures and shapes. The formal elements, specifically the lines that delineate each form and the compartmentalization typical of stained glass design, generate a visual field emphasizing structure above all. Notice how the composition, dominated by vertical and diagonal lines, achieves balance by carefully distributing figures within their sections. The earth-tone palette contributes to its overall solidity. Editor: So you’re saying the structure is more important than the scene itself? Curator: The ‘scene’ is really secondary. This work reveals the essence of form by using the potential energy inherent to the grid system of lead lines and colored glass. Holst, working with what appears to be simple, even familiar imagery, presents an opportunity to delve into pure form. Do you see how he limits the color and models figures using mainly contour lines? Editor: I see it now. So it’s less about what they're doing and more about how the lines create the shapes of people doing those things. The shapes interact with the overall rectangular form, playing against one another. I wouldn't have noticed that at first! Curator: Precisely. It’s through these formal choices that we appreciate the design's intellectual rigor and its impact on visual perception. We realize art can be, at its best, a method to awaken consciousness.