Why the paintings
European art for a European workspace, and a calmer way to show software.
If you've looked around this site, you've seen the paintings. Van Gogh's almond blossom behind the inbox. Monet's water lilies behind the shared inbox. Vermeer's view of Delft behind a video meeting. People ask about them, so here's why they're there.
Software looks better on something real
Most software websites show their product on a flat colour or a soft gradient, and after a while they all look the same. We wanted something with texture and age, made by hand. A painting gives a screenshot somewhere to sit.
The screenshots on top are real, too. The app you see is Email.eu, exactly as it looks.
European, like the rest of it
Email.eu is built in Groningen and runs in France. It felt right to borrow from painters of the same corner of Europe. Most of them are Dutch, like us: Vermeer, Rembrandt, Ruisdael, Hobbema, Avercamp, Van Gogh and Mondriaan. Monet is French.
Not every painting stayed home. The water lilies hang in Chicago and The Avenue at Middelharnis is in London. The painters were European; the museums are wherever the paintings ended up. We name the museum every time.
Every app has its own painting
We gave each app one painting and stick to it, so after a while you recognise them. Some choices have a small reason. Today gets the View of Haarlem, a whole town in one view, like your day on one screen. Chat gets The Little Street, where neighbours go about their day. Sending gets a windmill, which keeps things moving.
The dark painting behind our Start button is Mondriaan's Evening: The Red Tree. He painted it years before the coloured squares he's famous for. Up close it's mostly deep blue, with one red tree that won't sit still.
A painting gives a screenshot somewhere to sit.
Free for everyone
All of these paintings are in the public domain. Their painters died long ago, so anyone may use them, and many museums share good photographs of their collections openly. The best of European art, free for everyone. We liked that.
Calm on purpose
The paintings also say something about how we want work to feel: calm, unhurried, and a little beautiful. A good workspace shouldn't shout at you. It should let you get on with your day, and now and then make you look twice.
Written by the Email.eu team in Groningen.More from the blog