Servet van linnendamast met dessin Marguerite c. 1904

This linen damask cloth with a Marguerite design was made by Cornelis van der Sluys, but when exactly, we don't know. What's fascinating is how the artist has managed to create so much complexity with so little. The daisies, intricately woven into the fabric, seem to both emerge from and recede into its surface. Up close, you can see the subtle textures where the pattern is raised. The material is incredibly tactile and almost begs to be touched. The whole thing reads as an exercise in tone and pattern. It’s not just a pretty decoration but a meditation on light and shadow. It calls to mind the work of Anni Albers, who also pushed the boundaries of textile art. Both artists make you think about art as a process of making, not just creating.