Ontwerpen voor twee monogrammen c. 1901

Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof made these monogram designs with pencil on paper at an unknown date. You know, there is something really intimate about seeing the preliminary sketches for a design. The casual nature of the marks, almost like the artist is thinking aloud. The texture of the paper here feels soft, absorbent, and the pencil lines vary in pressure, creating depth through tone. Looking at the lower monogram, contained within a decorative frame, you can see the ‘B’ shapes are mirrored, almost like reflections. The little leaves and sprigs around the border feel so tender and carefully observed, softened by the slight blur of the pencil. There is a freedom in the upper sketch, where the artist tries out a different form and spacing. This reminds me of the graphic work of Gustav Klimt and the Vienna Secession, they had a similar interest in taking design principles from the natural world. Ultimately, art is a conversation, constantly referencing and reinterpreting what has come before.