Ketting van een koperen hanglamp c. 1916

This copper hanging lamp was made by Theo Nieuwenhuis, and it makes me think about taking a line for a walk. I can almost see the artist in their workshop, patiently coaxing the metal into these looping shapes, like doodling in three dimensions. The surface is worn, and warm to the touch – I can see the hand of the maker, even though the object itself is quite refined. It's got this great tension between the geometric pattern on the shade and the almost chaotic arrangement of the chain links. I'm drawn to the way the chains reflect the light; each tiny link seems to catch a little spark, like stars against the gloom. Looking at it, I'm reminded of Gustav Klimt and his ornamentation, but here, it's grounded in a kind of functional beauty, where every embellishment serves a purpose. It’s as if the artist is saying, "Why can't the useful be beautiful, and the beautiful be useful?"