Wit linnen damasten servet met in het midden het embleem van de Koninklijke Beetwortelzaadcultuur Kuhn & Co 1888 - 1945

This damask napkin, made of white linen, features the emblem of the Koninklijke Beetwortelzaadcultuur Kuhn & Co, and was designed by Chris Lebeau. I can imagine Lebeau carefully selecting each thread, visualizing the emblem emerge with each pass of the loom. He’s composing, improvising with threads, letting the emblem of the beet company emerge, slowly, deliberately, like a drawing in slow motion. What was he thinking about as he chose each intersection of weave? The texture created by the damask weave gives the napkin depth, as if the emblem is floating just beneath the surface. Look at how it catches the light and creates subtle shadows, and how the emblem is framed by delicate flourishes. It reminds me of the work of William Morris, who also blurred the lines between art and craft. And it reminds me that everyday objects can be canvases for artistic expression.