Top hat c. 1910

This top hat, crafted by A.F. Herbermann, stands about 16 centimetres tall, a small sculpture of sartorial elegance. The making of this, I imagine, was a delicate dance of shaping and smoothing, each touch intentional, each layer building towards a singular form. The surface has this wonderful sheen, almost alive, hinting at the hours spent coaxing the material into shape. Think about how light would play across it, catching the subtle textures. Look closely at the ribbon. The way it sits, taut and precise, speaks to a desire for order, a control that belies the messy reality of creation. This object reminds me of the hats worn by Philip Guston in photos of him. It is also redolent of the costumes and characters of Picasso’s circus paintings. A simple shape that speaks of the joy of dressing up, of artifice, and of embracing ambiguity.