Tussenzetsel van wit kant gedecoreerd met aaneengeregen opengewerkte ovalen op karton c. 1920

This 'Tussenzetsel van wit kant gedecoreerd met aaneengeregen opengewerkte ovalen' was crafted by Gustav Schnitzler, and is now held at the Rijksmuseum. This delicate piece immediately strikes us with its formal qualities and materiality. Consider the interplay between the dense, solid cardboard and the intricate, almost ephemeral lace. The repetitive oval motifs create a visual rhythm, a semiotic chain where each link echoes the others. The texture invites a tactile response, contrasting the smoothness of the card with the delicate weave of the lace. The very structure of the lace is a destabilization of the solid form; it challenges our understanding of surface and depth, solid and void. Schnitzler's choice of material engages with a history of craft, yet elevates it to an aesthetic form. Here, the material and its intricate structure function not only as an aesthetic object but also as a dialogue between form and function. This is where the beauty of interpretation begins.