Hoed van oranje vilt met ronde bol en brede rand c. 1958 - 1962

Curator: Standing before us is a delightful "Hoed van oranje vilt met ronde bol en brede rand" which translates to “Hat of orange felt with round crown and wide brim” – dating to around 1958-1962. What are your first impressions? Editor: Immediately I think of celebration, perhaps a Dutch holiday. That orange just *pops*, doesn’t it? It almost seems to glow, even on the black stand. There’s something both whimsical and very precise about the way the felt is shaped. Curator: Precisely. The color certainly connects to the Dutch royal family. Orange is the symbolic hue of the House of Orange-Nassau and, of course, national pride. It projects optimism. Editor: Yes, absolutely. That circular form too, reminds me of halos, celestial bodies and mandalas which embody a sense of wholeness. The soft felt is interesting. I wonder if the artist considered texture? Curator: Oh, definitely. The felt, while giving a uniform surface, is also subtly tactile. It invites you to consider its source, to imagine the animal from which the wool came. This adds another layer of association – nature, craft, warmth. But beyond material association, notice that there is no sharp edge: no aggressive line in sight! Editor: You’re right. Everything curves, which is so calming to observe. It really is like an enveloping halo. But looking again, I see a curious paradox. It evokes that joy and exuberance but feels rather… still, silent. Is that strange? Curator: Not at all. A hat, after all, is often about transformation, assuming a role or expressing one's identity. Here, there is this bright statement – which feels celebratory – yet it's absent a wearer. So this dichotomy, if you will, captures something universal about expressing one's self in an art object. Editor: Beautifully said. It makes you wonder about all the unseen characters represented by an item of clothing… Curator: It does indeed. So much symbolism in such a compact, bright form! Editor: I am looking at fashion in a different way today, thanks. Curator: Agreed. Perhaps fashion is a code and hats its colorful punctuation?