Ontwerp voor een oorkonde van de Vereniging ter Bevordering van de Belangen des Boekhandels 1884 - 1952

This design for a charter of the Association for the Promotion of the Interests of the Book Trade was made by Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries. I can just imagine de Vries at his desk, meticulously inking in each flourish, each tiny detail of this work. It’s a testament to the craft of design, isn’t it? The way the blues and golds intertwine, creating this border that feels both ornate and sturdy. You can see the influence of illuminated manuscripts, that dedication to detail. I bet de Vries was thinking about tradition when he made this, how to honor the past while making something new. The shields at the bottom, the way the text is carefully laid out… It's like he's building a bridge between different eras of craftsmanship. It's a reminder that art is always in conversation with what came before.