Onderstok van een paraplu of parasol van zwart geverfd hout met een gekromde haak, waarin vijf stralende zonnen zijn gesneden c. 1920 - 1940

Curator: Oh, this one makes me smile. What an unexpected little thing of beauty. Editor: Unexpected indeed. We’re looking at the handle of a parasol or umbrella, dating from somewhere between 1920 and 1940. It’s currently held in the Rijksmuseum’s collection. Curator: The Rijksmuseum?! I always expect, you know, sprawling canvases and intricate Delftware. It's… well, it’s essentially a carved stick of black-painted wood, but it feels almost holy, somehow. Like a minimalist totem pole. Editor: The hook at the bottom is very utilitarian, of course. But it's the carving that elevates it, don’t you think? The description notes “five radiating suns,” which introduces an incredible dynamism, this hidden burst of energy at the point of contact. Curator: Five suns… I keep thinking of that scene in Solaris, all that radiant, unearthly energy condensed into form. Is it just me or is there a suggestion of both holding on and letting go? Protection and exposure? Editor: Absolutely. And the stark simplicity is powerful. These everyday objects often carry immense weight; consider the politics inherent in something that signifies both luxury and protection from the elements, not available to all. What does it mean to brandish something so ordinary, but imbued with, as you say, almost divine radiance? Curator: A little personal apocalypse always at your side. That darkness, that slick black… is there something mournful? As if beauty persists, despite everything. And you hold it. You carry it into the rain, into the light, this almost secret affirmation. Editor: Perhaps it served as a subtle commentary of the tumultuous decades during which it was crafted. Consider the shifting power dynamics and class consciousness, embedded in what appears to be just another common accessory. It encourages us to consider the complexities in what we often perceive as simply ordinary. Curator: I hadn't really thought about all of that, actually! Editor: It really does invite that interplay, right? This intersection between form, function and sociopolitical context is a testament to art’s power to initiate dialog. It’s just incredible, isn’t it? Curator: It is. It just really is.