Tafel met tussenblad c. 1894 - 1900

Curator: The light falling across Karel Petrus Cornelis de Bazel’s "Tafel met tussenblad", created circa 1894-1900, really emphasizes the wood grain. Editor: It's remarkably understated for decorative art. There is almost a spartan quality, although a somewhat elegant one with the rounded top. The single drawer breaks up what would be, otherwise, a stark structure. Curator: Yes, the circular top meeting the rigid, squared lines of the frame creates an interesting tension. The material itself, wood, offers a grounding effect. You know, if we think of circles often symbolizing the heavens and squares symbolizing the Earth, the artist’s intent seems apparent. Editor: I can see that symbolic resonance. It invites a sense of contained stability. It speaks to everyday ritual. What personal objects, secrets, or letters might it have held, closed up tight inside? A potent space for symbolic actions. Curator: I'm drawn to the joinery. Look at the points where the legs meet the surfaces—how the connections become part of the aesthetic, celebrating utility rather than disguising it. Also, that simple circular drawer pull. Editor: It makes me think about secret knowledge or occult symbolism – hidden truths of that era represented through small tokens and artifacts. Each circle of the handle an abstracted lens. Curator: An intriguing perspective, looking for possible esoteric meanings in these features. What began as seemingly restrained suddenly brims with possibilities. Thank you for helping me perceive all these underlying aspects of form and object history. Editor: And thank you; focusing on this craftsmanship helps one reflect on how cultural stories may lie within all constructed things, if we only let them speak.