Armstoel van mahonie, ingelegd met ebbenhout en parelmoer c. 1900

This mahogany armchair, inlaid with ebony and mother-of-pearl, was crafted by Theo Nieuwenhuis. Note the subtle yet deliberate motifs adorning its frame. These stylized floral patterns, meticulously carved, are not merely decorative; they are echoes of a deeply ingrained human impulse to seek harmony and order in the natural world. Consider the lotus flower, a recurring motif across cultures from ancient Egypt to the Far East. It symbolizes purity, enlightenment, and rebirth. Similarly, the vine, with its winding tendrils, represents connection, growth, and the cyclical nature of life. These symbols tap into our collective unconscious, resonating with archetypal images that have persisted through millennia. Even in this seemingly simple chair, these ancient symbols resurface, transformed yet still potent, reminding us of the enduring power of visual language to convey meaning across time and space. The act of sitting itself becomes a symbolic gesture of contemplation.