Ontwerp voor een menukaart met een vrouw met gespreide armen 1884 - 1952

Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries designed this menu card with pencil and paint, though the date is unknown. The layout, with its pale grid visible beneath the design, emphasizes the artist's process, reminding me of the preliminary sketches I make before starting a painting. The figure is so neat and composed, her arms outstretched like she’s ready to receive you, or maybe she’s offering a blessing over your meal? The gold lines of the text frame her body and the soft blue wash emphasizes the simple, elegant shapes. See how the rounded terminals of the ‘M’ and ‘N’ mimic the spheres on either side of the figure’s head, creating a sense of harmony and balance. It’s hard to look at this and not think of Klimt or maybe Schiele, with their elongated figures and decorative patterning. But de Vries brings a unique sensibility to the Art Nouveau style. Art is such a great conversation, isn’t it? A way of responding to what’s come before, while adding your own voice to the mix.