Vierkante hoedendoos van karton, beplakt met art deco papier met een oranje fond waarop een grillig patroon in blauw en bloemen in zwart, geel en rood c. 1917 - 1919

This square hatbox was made with cardboard and covered in an art deco paper, but we don't know exactly when or by whom. The design on the paper has got this wild, energetic vibe, with its unpredictable pattern in blue dancing around the orange background, with flowers popping out in black, yellow, and red. The texture of the cardboard underneath gives it a kind of raw, handmade feel, which, for me, makes it more interesting. It’s like the box is declaring its own material existence, even as it tries to be pretty. There's something about the slight imperfections and irregularities in the pattern that give it character. It reminds me a bit of Raoul Dufy, who liked to let the underlying structure of his materials show through. And, like his work, there is such a sense of playfulness here. A celebration of the everyday. A reminder that art can be found even in the most unexpected places.