Ontwerpen voor schotels en kannen van aardewerk Iseger Possibly 1920 - 1929

Theo Colenbrander made this design for earthenware dishes and jugs with pencil, ink, and possibly watercolor. It’s the kind of drawing where you can see the artist thinking through line and composition as a process. I like how the lines are so delicate, almost tentative, like he's feeling out the forms. The surface has a beautiful, aged quality, which gives it a sense of history and depth. Look at the way Colenbrander uses these simple lines to suggest the curves and volumes of the jugs. It’s like he’s mapping out the potential for these objects to exist in three dimensions, using the surface to define their forms. Colenbrander reminds me of artists like William Morris, who were interested in elevating craft to the level of art. Both artists were concerned with creating beautiful, functional objects for everyday use. Ultimately, it's about embracing the ambiguity and multiple interpretations that art offers, rather than seeking fixed meanings.