Ornamentele rand met wapenschilden met dieren c. 1910

Bernard Willem Wierink made this ornamental border with coats of arms and animals on paper, but we don't know exactly when. The design is a strip of heraldic shields, each containing a different animal. Look closely, and you can see that the shields are separated by crowns and abstract floral designs. The warm terracotta colour jumps out against the cool, raw umber of the paper; this contrast gives the piece a real graphic punch. I love how the image is both highly stylized and playful. It feels very contemporary, yet also rooted in a medieval tradition. I can imagine this design printed on wallpaper or fabric! Wierink was a designer, so he probably would have enjoyed that. It's like he was saying, "Art doesn't have to be serious. It can be fun and decorative, too." Think of Sonia Delaunay and her textile patterns. Wierink, like her, embraces the idea of art as something that can be integrated into everyday life.