Schaal van messing met vijflobbig spiraalornament c. 1925

This brass bowl, made by Frans Zwollo, has a funny little swirl in the middle and a slightly lumpy edge, like it wasn’t quite sure what shape it wanted to be! I can imagine Zwollo in his studio, hammering away at this thing. Did he plan the spiral, or did it just emerge? I wonder if he was thinking about the fluidity of metal, trying to capture a sense of movement in a solid object? The color feels warm, like looking into a fire, doesn't it? And the texture, smooth but with these subtle dents and curves...It's like a landscape in miniature, maybe even a metaphor for life—a little bumpy, a little off-kilter, but beautiful in its imperfection. It makes me think about the way artists, like Zwollo, experiment with materials. They push and pull, coaxing them into new forms. It reminds me of the conversation between artists across time, each building on the ideas of those who came before, embracing the unexpected.