Document box c. 1905

This document box was made by an anonymous artist and now resides in the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The dark wood is inlaid with golden metal details. I can imagine the artist carefully positioning each element, fitting each piece into place. The surface is smooth, polished; a world away from the gestural marks I throw down in my own studio! But I can appreciate the appeal of the clean lines and perfect symmetry. This box is a bit like a Josef Albers painting: an exploration of color and shape with a rigorous eye. Look closer, at the corners. See how the metal wraps around and frames the wood? I love that detail. It reminds me of some of the work of the Vienna Secession artists, like Gustav Klimt. Both this anonymous artist and Klimt share a love of ornament and a desire to elevate craft to the level of fine art. It’s a constant conversation across time, this push and pull between function and beauty.