Ontwerp voor een miskelk 1874 - 1932

Mathieu Lauweriks made this pencil drawing for a chalice. Lauweriks was a Dutch architect, designer, and, importantly, a theosophist. Active in the late 19th and early 20th century, his design work expressed spiritual beliefs and sought a universal harmony of form. You can see this in the drawing's geometric stylization and the simple rendering of the chalice, a religious vessel associated with both the eucharist and pagan traditions. His theosophical principles also drove him to reject the individualistic expression that defined much art of this period and to call instead for rational, systematic design practices. He taught his methods at several art institutions in Germany and the Netherlands. Lauweriks’ theories were not always popular in the art world, but his beliefs offer us insight into the spiritual interests of artists at this time. Examining the manifestos and institutional records of art and design from the period in which he was working help us to understand the full context of this artwork.