Theemeubel met schuifvensters aan de linkerzijde en een deur aan de rechterzijde 1933

Jacobus Fernandus Adolphus Semey made this display cabinet, called 'Theemeubel met schuifvensters aan de linkerzijde en een deur aan de rechterzijde', with wood, glass and metal. I'm drawn to this piece and how it has come into being. It’s boxy, but I imagine Semey carefully chose the wood, then cut and joined it with care. This wasn't a quick process. I can almost see Semey, the artist, figuring things out, shifting the design as he goes, maybe even making a mistake and turning that into something beautiful. You can see the grain and texture in the wood. It gives it a depth, a life. It isn't flat or perfect, which makes it feel real. And that handle? It speaks of purpose, of hands opening the door, looking inside for teacups and the like. Semey would have been aware of all these details, the way light catches the wood, the feel of the handle. These material aspects shape our experience of the cabinet and give it emotional meaning. It’s like a conversation across time, an exchange of ideas that inspires all of us.