5 knopen horend bij een jas c. 1740 - 1760

These five woven buttons, devoid of explicit dates or authorship, offer a fascinating study in cultural memory. At first glance, simple fasteners; yet, these objects echo across time with potent symbolic weight. Consider the button, a utilitarian object, raised in status by its presence on garments of power and prestige. Woven, these buttons take on a primal quality, reminiscent of ancient crafts. Like Ariadne’s thread, weaving has long represented connection, fate, and narrative. Think of the Fates who spin, measure, and cut the thread of life, determining our destinies. Buttons, humble as they may seem, secure our garments and, in a symbolic sense, hold together the fabric of society. The simple act of fastening is a fundamental, subconscious gesture, a ritual repeated daily, linking us to generations past. These buttons invite us to ponder the cyclical nature of fashion, the repetition of forms, and the enduring human need to adorn and secure ourselves.