Voorplat van een boekband voor: Boeken van wijsheid en schoonheid, 1913 1913

This book cover, Voorplat van een boekband voor: Boeken van wijsheid en schoonheid, was designed in 1913 by an anonymous artist. The monochrome printing on the cover is giving me an antique-y vibe. I like that it says 'books of wisdom and beauty'! It reminds me that back then, people were interested in how beauty and knowledge were connected. The printing itself is intriguing. I'm curious about the hands that held this block of wood or metal, pressing it down, making sure the ink transferred just so. The top and bottom motifs are quite symmetrical, but not exactly. The artist’s hand brings in a slight wabi-sabi vibe, and a sense of humanness. I am sure they were thinking about that blank space in the middle, the silence of the white. What images were they hoping would be conjured? What did beauty and wisdom mean to them? Book covers are part of a long conversation between artists and writers. This image is one note in an ongoing exchange, inviting us to reflect on art as a space for inquiry and creative exploration.