Hoed van zwart zijden fluweel met een decoratie van maraboeveren c. 1915 - 1920

This hat of black silk velvet with marabou feather decoration was made by Esther Meyer. I’m thinking about the texture, how the silk velvet absorbs light, and how those feathers must have felt to her touch. When I look at the hat I imagine her arranging the feathers just so, maybe trying different positions, stepping back, and looking again. It is the artist’s little dance with the material. Each decision is a step. I love the way the feathers add a touch of lightness to the hat. They remind me of quick brushstrokes. There's something inherently human in the way that we try to bring elegance and beauty into our lives. Whether it's a painter laying down strokes of color or a milliner carefully placing feathers, it’s a desire to transform the ordinary into something special. And that is so lovely.