Rol crème zijden satijnlint c. 1925

This roll of cream-colored silk satin ribbon was made by Gustav Schnitzler and is now housed at the Rijksmuseum. I love thinking about all those layers wound around and around. How many times did the maker’s hand circle in its creation, and what did the turning feel like? I imagine the original maker might have been thinking about what the ribbon would adorn—clothing, perhaps? Or a gift? Maybe it would be stitched into some elaborate embroidery. The possibilities are infinite! I love the simple label sitting on top. The paper is soft like the ribbon, but crisp and angular. How satisfying to tear and write on it, then set it in place. And what about the typeface? It must have been so modern at the time. The whole piece is so tactile and lovely. We can tell that the artist really considered what it would feel like in the hand. The cream color calls to mind artists like Agnes Martin and Robert Ryman.