Vliegeraar c. 1856 - 1858

This piece, "Vliegeraar," was crafted in silver by W. Freen, who died in 1866. The eye is drawn to the miniature figure of a man, elegantly dressed, standing on a small, rectangular base. There's a striking tension in the composition; the kite, seemingly caught in a perpetual state of almost taking flight, is held in check by a delicate chain. The materiality of the silver lends a tactile quality, inviting close inspection of the textures and details. This work questions the nature of control and freedom. The formal arrangement—the figure, the kite, and the connecting line—invites us to reflect on how systems of constraint and release are visually and conceptually intertwined.