Armstoel ingelegd met cirkels c. 1920 - 1925

Jacob Pieter van den Bosch crafted this armchair, inlaid with circles, during a period when the Netherlands was navigating its identity in the wake of industrialization and shifting social norms. At first glance, the chair embodies a sense of bourgeois comfort and stability. But consider the context: furniture like this would have been commonplace in the homes of the Dutch elite, a class benefiting from colonial exploitation. The circles inlaid in the design might evoke a sense of unity and harmony, yet they subtly remind us of the closed circles of power and privilege of the time. The chair’s very presence invites reflection. Who was welcome to rest in this chair, and who was excluded? What conversations of power and influence took place within its proximity? Ultimately, this armchair serves as a reminder of the complex, often unseen, social dynamics embedded in everyday objects.