Vaas van aardewerk, beschilderd met een pauw op lelietakken c. 1910

This ceramic vase, painted by Th. Verstraaten, is alive with peacock feathers and lily tendrils. I can imagine the artist turning the vase slowly, carefully, as the image wraps itself around the earthenware. Oh, to be the artist at that moment, coaxing the curves of the bird’s plumage or the delicate unfurling of a petal. The colors are so gentle, blues and greens and soft purples. The artist’s hand teases out the detail in the peacock’s face – that tiny crest! It feels like they were totally absorbed, lost in the act of making. That peacock seems like it's part of an enchanted world, perched on a branch that defies gravity, surrounded by these dreamy, cascading flowers. Verstraaten’s vision makes me think of other artists who've blended observation with imagination, like Hilma af Klint, but with a unique, decorative twist. Ultimately, this vase reminds me of the beautiful messiness of art. Artists like Verstraaten show us how to see the world anew.