Ornament 1884 - 1952

Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries made this pencil sketch of an ornament sometime in the early 20th century. I love seeing an artist’s hand at work, the way a sketch allows us to enter into their space of creative inquiry. I can imagine de Vries bending over his work, pencil in hand, carefully crafting each line and curve. I'm drawn to the contrast between the sharp, geometric shapes and the soft, flowing lines. It reminds me how artists borrow and transform motifs from different traditions and contexts, layering historical references with personal expression. There is a sense of playful experimentation, as if de Vries is exploring the endless possibilities of form and pattern. He makes me think of Hilma af Klint and other artists engaged in similar types of visionary creation at this time. Ornament-making, like painting, is a conversation across time, one artist building upon the ideas and innovations of another. Each mark is a gesture, an embodied expression that invites us to reflect on the rich tapestry of human creativity.