Sprei van gemengde kant met veldbloemen c. 1918 - 1920

This is a bedspread of mixed lace with wildflowers, made by J.M. van der Roos. Can you imagine how long this must have taken? It is huge! Two meters wide. I bet they were thinking about all the people this bedspread was for and how many nights would be slept under it. You know, the lace has an interesting texture to it. All those tiny little knots and twists must have taken an incredible amount of skill and precision. Each flower is different, with little gestures of thread that communicate feeling, intention and meaning. They speak to the maker’s love of nature and a desire to bring the outside in. The piece is so delicate, yet so strong, kind of like a lot of artists I know. And while this isn’t a painting, it still feels connected. This bedspread is part of that ongoing human conversation where we respond to each other with our creativity. It is also a form of embodied expression and contains a beautiful ambiguity, allowing for many meanings.