Fragment van een linnen damasten tafellaken met een dessin van hazelaars 1888 - 1945

This is a linen damask tablecloth fragment with a hazelnut design, made by Chris Lebeau. Lebeau lived through both World Wars and was deeply affected by the social and political turmoil of his time. In the late 1930's he became an active anti-fascist, and during the Second World War, he joined the resistance movement. In 1943 he was arrested and eventually died in 1945 in the concentration camp Dachau. This tablecloth, with its subtle hazelnut pattern, hints at a life of understated beauty and domesticity, tragically disrupted by historical events. Consider how everyday objects become carriers of memory, bearing witness to both personal and collective histories. In the face of such darkness, the delicate hazelnut design almost becomes a quiet act of resistance. The choice of linen, a humble material, might also reflect Lebeau’s commitment to social equality and his belief in the value of simple, everyday beauty.