Broche c. 1908 - 1911

This brooch was made by Lodewijk Willem van Kooten the second, though when it was made, exactly, remains a mystery. It's all about surface. The gold is brushed, not shiny, and you can just see those marks, those little striations. I am drawn to how the lines create a sense of flow and movement. The swirling motifs at either end are hypnotic, while the three sapphires add depth and focal points. The whole thing is so pleasing and elegant, but it's not overworked. The artist knew when to stop, and when to let the materials speak for themselves. When I look at this piece, I think about the work of Gustav Klimt, another artist who was fascinated by ornamentation and surface. I think ultimately art is all about surfaces: physical surfaces, the surface of our skin, the surface of our consciousness. It’s a conversation.