Vingerdoek van linnendamast met dessin Marguerite c. 1904

Cornelis van der Sluys made this linen damask cloth, called Marguerite, sometime in the early 20th Century. It's all about process, how a design emerges from the back and forth between intention and material. The material is so important here. You can almost feel the soft weave. The pattern is made with two shades of the linen, not printed, but woven in. It's so subtle, like a drawing with light. The design is symmetrical, but not rigidly so. Little flowers and leaves sprout, intertwining with a kind of gentle exuberance, like wallpaper. It reminds me of William Morris, but with a quieter touch, like a shy cousin. Art is a conversation, after all. Each artist responds to what came before, adding their own voice. This piece invites us to slow down, to appreciate the small details, the quiet beauty of everyday objects. It's about finding art in life, and life in art.