Schort, behorende bij pop "LILLY", van reformstof met ajour rand c. 1910

This is a doll's apron, made of reform fabric with an openwork edge, by P. Titjen-Baas. Just imagine the delicate work of creating such a small object, the focus and attention, the careful stitching. It's all about the texture here: the plain weave of the reformstof, the intricate pattern of the ajour rand, that play of solid and void. I love the imperfections, the subtle shifts in tone, like faint marks or creases. What was P. Titjen-Baas thinking? Sewing this tiny apron for "LILLY", the doll? Was it a labor of love, a practical necessity, or both? Like a painter layering paint, the artist builds up the form of the apron. The ajour border reminds me of brushstrokes, creating a kind of optical vibration that enlivens the surface. Artists are always in conversation, across mediums, across time, borrowing and reimagining ideas. And who knows, maybe this little apron will inspire some artist down the line.