Lint van roze gaas c. 1900 - 1915

This pale pink ribbon by Gustav Schnitzler sits in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Imagine Schnitzler carefully winding this ribbon around its cardboard core. It's a simple object, yet it evokes a sense of care and precision. I wonder about the artist’s intentions, what was he thinking? Maybe he was drawn to the soft, almost skin-like color of the mesh. I'm thinking about a painter's sensitivity to color and surface. This isn't paint, but the texture and the subtle sheen of the ribbon almost feel like brushstrokes frozen in time. The way the ribbon coils around itself reminds me of the layering in a painting, each revolution building upon the last, creating depth and form. It is a reminder that art can be found in the everyday, in the simplest of materials. It speaks to the ongoing dialogue between artists and makers, each inspiring new ways of seeing and creating.