Draagteken, 1910 1910

This ‘Draagteken’ was made anonymously in 1910 from silver, textile, and metal thread. I can see a crown on top, then a frame with the letter 'J' hanging above a tricolor ribbon of black, yellow, and red, all finished off with some gold tassels. When I look at this, I feel like I’m looking at a very small painting. I wonder about the person who made it. What were they thinking when they combined these colors, these materials? It looks so well crafted and the tiny details suggest it was a very time-consuming process. It must have been a labor of love. I also wonder what kind of conversations they had with other artists and makers. What was the context for this piece? It reminds me of a conversation between folk art and fine art, between craft and design. Art is always a conversation, across time, inspiring each other's creativity. It embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations and meanings.