Bloemenruiker van geknipt papier met vogelnestje, onder stolp. before 1881

This elaborate paper flower arrangement with bird's nest was made by Hendrik van Irkoven. We don’t know exactly when. The beauty of this piece lies in its material paradox. Paper, normally seen as a disposable medium for writing or printing, is here transformed into a permanent display. The artist meticulously cut and assembled each petal and leaf, achieving a delicate realism. Imagine the hours of labour required, the focused attention to detail. The paper, patinated with age, contrasts with the vibrant, ephemeral nature of real flowers. This tension invites us to consider our relationship with nature, with artifice, and with the passage of time. Is it "high art" or "craft"? In its time, the arrangement may have been regarded as a clever, decorative imitation. Today, we can appreciate it as a commentary on consumerism and the human desire to freeze and preserve beauty, blurring lines between art, labour, and the everyday.