Bakje om kroontjespennen in weg te zetten, gebruikt door Dr. W. Drees 1910

This glass pen holder, used by Dr. W. Drees, sits in the Rijksmuseum, its maker unknown. The simple glass form and the way light moves through it feels so modern. It's interesting how a functional object can possess such clean lines. The object is beautiful in its utilitarian purpose. You see the way the glass is formed into these angled facets, almost like a minimalist sculpture. Then, at the bottom, those little pen nibs huddle together like dark seeds. It’s the kind of thing that makes you think about the act of writing, the labor of forming ideas, and the tools that make it all possible. Thinking about its legacy, I imagine Agnes Martin would appreciate the subtle geometry and quiet presence of this piece. Art, like history, is a conversation across time. It's nice to consider the quiet dignity of the everyday, and the meaning we find in simple objects.