Diploma voor deelname aan een amateur-fotowedstrijd ter gelegenheid van het Vaderlands Volksfeest te Arnhem before 1919

This diploma for a photography competition was designed by Frans Tullingh in Arnhem in 1919. It's a beautiful example of graphic design from the early 20th century. I can just imagine Tullingh at his drawing board, carefully inking the lettering, borders, and decorative elements. The interplay of muted greens, purples, and oranges gives the diploma a festive, yet grounded, feel. The repeating motifs—those little crowns, the lions holding shields—are rendered with such precision. It makes you wonder how much time he spent perfecting each one. You know, I’m reminded of some of the work of the Vienna Secession, like Gustav Klimt's decorative pieces. There's a similar attention to detail and love of ornamentation. It's like Tullingh is saying, "Let's celebrate the everyday with beauty and care." Isn’t that what all us artists try to do? To elevate the ordinary through our own way of seeing? It’s definitely what I try to do in my own work. I guess we are all in conversation with each other, across time and place.