Waaierdoos van ivoorkleurig karton, taps toelopend c. 1907

This is Rica Palache’s fan box, made of ivory-colored cardboard and tapering slightly. It feels like a painterly object, even though it’s cardboard. The surface has this off-white color, like an old canvas someone has lovingly primed. Then there are these thin, dark lines that wrap around the box, creating a kind of visual rhythm. They almost feel like a Barnett Newman zip, grounding the whole thing. I love the way the artist has embraced the simplicity of the material, letting the cardboard be itself, but then adding just enough to elevate it. The slightly rough texture, the subtle variations in tone, it all adds up to something that feels both humble and precious. It reminds me of some of the quieter works of Agnes Martin, that combination of geometry and handmade imperfection. It's the kind of object that whispers rather than shouts, inviting you to come closer and really look.