Passement van geschulpte witte kant voorzien van picots doorweven met een ondulerende glanzende bruine draad, op karton c. 1925

Editor: So this is "Passement van geschulpte witte kant voorzien van picots doorweven met een ondulerende glanzende bruine draad, op karton" which translates to 'Trim of scalloped white lace with picots interwoven with an undulating shiny brown thread, on cardboard', made around 1925. It's silk textile and is housed in the Rijksmuseum. I find the minute detailing incredibly delicate; what draws your attention to this piece? Curator: This lace ribbon acts as a concentrated echo of an entire era. Consider the time: the 1920s, a period defined by both exuberant liberation and quiet restraint. Lace, with its intricate weaving, has long symbolized status and femininity. Yet, by the '20s, we see it employed with this intriguing thread of brown, what stories might it be whispering? Editor: You mean the contrast between the expected 'femininity' of lace and the slightly muddied, almost industrial feel of the brown? Curator: Precisely! What could the earthy tone symbolise here? Consider the social context. Post-war realities brought new roles for women, challenging previous definitions. Does this inclusion hint at the practicality and resilience interwoven into the evolving feminine ideal? It’s about memory and continuity. Editor: That's fascinating, I hadn't considered it that way. I guess I was just seeing it as pretty. Curator: But "pretty" carries meaning! Why is beauty valued, and what does it obscure? The repeated scallops perhaps mimic architectural forms, mirroring the industrial repetition of the era, softened and made 'acceptable' through traditional craft. These objects tell tales that we only glimpse through their enduring symbolism. Editor: It really changes how I see it – from just a pretty piece of lace to something that's holding so much more history and cultural meaning. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. Keep looking. What feels purely aesthetic is usually steeped in something deeper!