Knielbank van de trouwplechtigheid van prinses Beatrix van Oranje-Nassau en Claus von Amsberg in de Westerkerk c. 1966

Dols en Co. made this kneeling bench for the wedding of Princess Beatrix and Claus von Amsberg. The colour is…well, let’s call it a mellow yellow, a sort of golden, subdued hue that speaks of tradition but also something a little less ‘out there’. What strikes me is its form: the lines are simple and the structure is so solid. It's upholstered, but it doesn't have any softness to it, it's like it wants to stand up straight. Look closely and you can almost see the marks left by its use, a slightly darker stain there. This bench isn't just something to look at; it’s a piece of history that has been knelt on, prayed over, maybe even cried on. The colour and the form remind me of something like Agnes Martin, this shared interest in reductive form and quiet colour, a simplicity that holds so much. It's a fascinating object, and it invites us to think about what it means to witness history, to participate in it, and to leave our own marks behind.