Ornament met zeepaardje 1884 - 1952

Curator: Here we have an intriguing pencil drawing titled "Ornament met zeepaardje," or "Ornament with Seahorse," created by Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries between 1884 and 1952. What’s your immediate reaction? Editor: I find it whimsical, almost like a preparatory sketch for something grander. The light pencil work gives it an airy quality, a sense of something fleeting or still in the process of becoming. Curator: It’s interesting that you mention "preparatory" as I read the image somewhat differently. Notice the line work: repetitive strokes meticulously map out the form, almost like a technical drawing of an idealized form. De Vries might be exploring geometric forms that give order to nature, here representing the seahorse as a motif that can easily adapt to surface patterning. Editor: True, there's a geometric aspect, especially in the tail composed of connected square-like forms. But, think about the socio-cultural context of seahorses. In some cultures, they are symbols of patience, contentment, and protection due to their docile nature and parental care of the male of the species, who incubates eggs in a pouch, so perhaps it’s also the artists' expression of domestic stability. Curator: That's a valid reading and it helps us decode beyond the purely aesthetic values of line, form, and composition. It could also be understood as reflecting the larger debates concerning evolution, natural selection, and our relationship with the animal world, and I do appreciate your inclusion of this interpretation. However, considering its status as a preliminary sketch, I'd caution attributing deep symbolic intent. Editor: I disagree, that would imply that design and society operate in distinct spheres, but designers participate and perpetuate certain views with their creations! We might then interpret that a 'preliminary sketch’ allows the expression of latent anxieties more candidly precisely due to the seeming lightness you appreciate so much! What is it about the sketch’s style, besides composition, that compels you? Curator: The delicate rendering evokes a kind of wistful beauty. But you are making me reconsider. Editor: Exactly, design embodies the ethos of production whether you mean the mode or form! Thank you.