Thaise ridderorde (Orde van de Witte Olifant), ontvangen door Willem Drees before 1959

This Thai Order of the White Elephant, received by Willem Drees, is such a curiosity. The anonymous maker had to figure out how to render this honorific in enamel, velvet, and metal. I’m thinking about the process of layering those materials, of building the intricate form and decorative scheme. I'm struck by its radial symmetry and the way the eye travels from the center outwards. I imagine the artist carefully placing each piece, adjusting the composition until it felt just right. Each element has a certain weight and presence, contributing to the overall harmony. This little box, with its starburst medallions, feels related to other forms of art and design throughout history. It reminds me of the way artists constantly borrow and adapt from each other, like a painter sampling colors from a previous work. It's through these acts of translation that new meanings and possibilities emerge.