Tussenzetsel van kant met floraal motief op karton c. 1920

This is a length of lace with a floral motif on cardboard, made by Gustav Schnitzler, and residing in the Rijksmuseum. What strikes me is its colour, a kind of off-white. Like an old memory, not quite faded, but not quite there. The cardboard is aged, it's edges softened with wear. On it sits this delicate, almost ephemeral floral lace. You can imagine the hand that crafted each tiny stitch, the patience and skill required to create such intricate patterns. It's this labour, this process, that really sings to me. I am reminded of the work of Agnes Martin, and the way that such a simple thing can hold so much depth and emotion. It's as if each flower is whispering a secret. The conversation between the lace and cardboard is one of transience, of beauty and decay, held together in this one little object.