Steek van minister Jan van den Tempel 1939

This hat, ‘Steek van minister Jan van den Tempel’, resides at the Rijksmuseum and was made by an anonymous hand. Imagine the materials chosen, the texture of the felt, the sheen of the gold thread, and the feathery lightness of the plumes. Making a hat is a delicate balance between form and function. What would it be like to be the anonymous maker, carefully stitching and shaping this object? Think of the wearer, Jan van den Tempel. How might he feel, placing the hat upon his head? The dark triangle of the hat's body provides a grounding contrast to the airy plumes, almost like a stormy landscape. The gold braid detail adds a touch of luxury, a little wink of importance. It's a symbol of authority, but also, perhaps, of the weight of responsibility. Like a painter layering colours, the maker has assembled these components to create an object that speaks to power, identity, and the human touch. And just as artists converse across centuries, hat makers, too, pass down their craft, each adding their unique flourish to the ongoing story of creation.