Strook dubbelzijdig geschulpte zwarte machinale kant met bloemmotief met contourdraden, op karton c. 1925

This double-sided black lace with a floral motif by Gustav Schnitzler sits on a piece of cardboard. Imagine the labor and skill it took to create such intricate patterns by machine. It’s like a dance of threads, each twist and turn carefully orchestrated. You feel the tension in the lines, the delicate balance between structure and fluidity. I imagine Schnitzler hunched over the machine, guiding the threads with precision, responding to its hum, coaxing forth these incredible frills. The floral motif, rendered in such fine detail, feels almost like a living thing, reaching out with its tendrils. Each element plays off the other, creating a rhythmic push-and-pull that keeps your eye moving. There's something deeply satisfying in the way the pattern repeats and evolves. It reminds us of the beauty and the power of repetition in mark making, and how artists continue to find new ways to explore age-old themes.