Handvat van zwartgelakt hout beschilderd met een vogel en bloem, voor een paraplu of parasol; met koord c. 1910 - 1920

This is a handle for an umbrella or parasol, made of black lacquered wood, decorated with a bird and flower, it's at the Rijksmuseum. I love the way this artist transforms a functional item into a canvas for delicate art. The surface is a dark, glossy expanse, but beneath it, hints of red peek through like embers in the night. And then there's the bird. It is rendered with what looks like gold leaf, catching the light, a symbol of freedom against the constraints of everyday life. The artist makes the turn of the bird's head so clear with a single stroke. It makes me think of Japanese lacquerware, where objects become precious through the careful layering of materials and meaning. Art becomes a part of the everyday, transforming something ordinary into a moment of contemplation.