Beaded Coin Purse c. 1937

This beaded coin purse was made by Cornelius Christoffels, using watercolor and graphite. Look at the way Christoffels used a limited palette; muted reds and browns, with highlights of pale grey to build up the texture of the beads. You can really sense his careful process. Up close, you see the detail in the individual marks: the tiny graphite dots, the almost imperceptible colour variations that create the illusion of three-dimensionality. This is about more than just representation; it's about how the accumulation of small gestures can construct a whole world. Notice how the decorative motifs create a rhythm that is mirrored in the vertical strokes which describe the body of the purse. The work of someone like Agnes Martin comes to mind. It’s as if Christoffels also found a way to touch something profound through his own quiet, meditative practice. Ultimately, this piece reminds us that art is an ongoing conversation about seeing, feeling, and thinking.