Ontwerp voor het lustrumboek van de Vakschool voor de typografie te Utrecht 1912

Editor: This graphite drawing on paper, "Ontwerp voor het lustrumboek van de Vakschool voor de typografie te Utrecht" by Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries, dates to 1912. It looks like a preliminary sketch for a book cover or poster. The typography and geometric designs give it an interesting, almost blueprint-like quality. What's your take on this piece? Curator: I see it as a fascinating intersection of art and social context. The Vakschool voor de Typografie was training a generation in a specific skill, but it was also participating in a broader movement of democratizing information and challenging traditional hierarchies through graphic design. This preliminary sketch represents that formative period. What I see here, beyond the Art Nouveau aesthetic, is an educational institute actively taking control of its visual representation. Editor: So, it’s not just about aesthetics, but about who gets to control the narrative through design? Curator: Exactly. The school's decision to commemorate its anniversary with a publication, designed in-house, speaks to a sense of agency and a desire to shape its own image within the rapidly evolving landscape of early 20th-century society. It challenges existing powers and questions whose voices and designs get platformed. How does knowing this context shift your interpretation of the sketch? Editor: I see it now as more of a statement of intent rather than just a design exercise. It’s like the school is asserting its presence. Curator: Precisely! It's a document reflecting cultural change, illustrating a specific moment. It reminds us that design is rarely neutral; it reflects power dynamics and social ambitions. Editor: I never thought about a simple school poster in such an intersectional light. Thanks! Curator: And thank you! Your questions allowed us to explore these connections and unearth these historical meanings.