Ontwerpen voor een broche c. 1874 - 1932

Curator: Oh, my goodness, these sketches, they’re just bursting with potential! Editor: Here we have a drawing by Mathieu Lauweriks, titled "Ontwerpen voor een broche," dating from around 1874 to 1932. Executed in pencil on paper, it offers a glimpse into the artist's design process. Curator: The playful geometry really jumps out, doesn't it? I see whirling dervishes of circles, and one little doodle that looks like a deflated beach ball, still somehow hopeful. It’s as if he's trying to catch the feeling of movement in metal. Editor: It's fascinating how Lauweriks, deeply involved in the Arts and Crafts movement, applied geometric principles to jewelry design. We should keep in mind the socio-political context here. The movement promoted craftsmanship against industrialization and sought a return to simpler forms in opposition to the excesses of Victorian ornamentation. Curator: Excess? I suppose, but these little spheres also have something of that Victorian love of the secret message, don't they? A hidden order revealed, all those elegant intersecting lines. I love imagining someone wearing one, knowing that beneath the surface there's this perfectly considered, miniature cosmos. Editor: Right, and that 'miniature cosmos' reflects a larger world. The grid upon which Lauweriks draws connects his art to architectural design and his interest in proportional systems, all related to ideas of universal harmony, so appealing at a time of great social upheaval. Curator: So it’s about more than just shiny things? Editor: It's about design as a means to a better society. Considering Lauweriks’ involvement with Theosophy adds another layer, where geometry and abstraction embody spiritual concepts. These weren't merely brooches; they were philosophical statements. Curator: Well, now I just want one even more. A wearable reminder to find the sacred in the mundane, maybe, a little nugget of utopian dreaming… I'll take two. Editor: Exactly. They capture that utopian impulse— the belief that beauty, order, and handcrafted objects could transform both individual lives and the world at large. It gives new resonance to adornment, right?