Coverlet c. 1940

Cornelius Christoffels made this coverlet, sometime between 1879 and 1960, using watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paper. The palette is grounded in earth tones—a neutral canvas punctuated by pops of navy and coral. You get the sense of artmaking as a deliberate process. The texture of the paper peeks through the washes of watercolor, giving the piece a raw, almost tactile feel. Up close, you can see the individual marks of the colored pencil, building up layer upon layer to create the intricate floral motifs. There’s a beautiful tension between precision and spontaneity. Take the central motif—it anchors the entire composition, radiating outward. It's hard not to think of the work of contemporary artists like Etel Adnan when looking at this piece. Like her tapestries, this coverlet feels like a conversation across time, echoing artistic gestures and inviting new interpretations.