Theetafelkleed van beige zijde met vierkante inzetten van lichtbruine kloskant c. 1923

This beige silk tablecloth with light brown bobbin lace insets was made by J. Moorsel. I just love the texture and the intricate patterns made by the lace squares. Imagine Moorsel, carefully weaving the delicate threads, knot by knot, day after day. Each square with its own unique design, like a little world in itself. You see the time and effort and the pure love of making. And the silk! A smooth, quiet contrast to the complexity of the lace. It makes you want to reach out and touch it, to feel the different surfaces, and to see how the light catches the threads. Think about all the different ways of building up a surface, one little act at a time, like Agnes Martin's pencil lines or the complex layers you find in Gee's Bend quilts. It is a slow work, like a prayer, like a meditation. Artists have always borrowed and built on what came before, each adding their voice to the ongoing conversation. And here it is, this quiet tablecloth, speaking to us across the years.