Patroon van krullende ornamenten 1884 - 1952

Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries made this ornamental pattern with pencil, probably sometime in the first half of the twentieth century. The precision of the lines, like little wires, hints at something that might be mechanically reproduced. But, look closely and you’ll see this isn’t a totally stable design. There are quirks and slight variations in the curves of the repeated shapes which give it an handmade quality. The grid offers a system, but the hand still brings the design to life. It makes me think of Hilma af Klint’s drawings, how she embraced geometric structures as a space for experimentation, using a limited palette to create works that are both decorative and deeply strange. Just like art, the world is never as ordered as it might seem.