Beaded Bag 1935 - 1942

This beaded bag was made by Cornelius Christoffels, sometime between 1879 and 1960. What I love about this bag is the time and care it must have taken to make, all those tiny, deliberate stitches. Up close, you can see how each bead acts as a little pixel, building up this idyllic scene. The colours are muted, soft greens and blues, giving it an antique feel. It's like looking at a hazy memory of a garden party. The texture is so interesting, the tiny bumps of each bead, contrasting with the smooth fabric at the top. I like the way the floral border at the bottom kind of grounds the whole image, like the frame of a painting. It reminds me a little of some of the needlework of Pae White, who, although working in very different materials, also has an interest in taking 'craft' based techniques into the fine art world. Of course, the beauty of art is that it’s always open to interpretation, and maybe you see something completely different. That’s the fun of it.