Jabotspeld van goudfiligrein c. 1900 - 1910

This is a jabot pin made by the Rozendaal brothers, and it’s made of gold filigree – which looks like the work of someone drawing in space with gold wire. I like to think about the hours of labor that went into it. The slow, deliberate gestures that pile up to make the whole thing. Look at that tiny looping detail in the middle section. It’s kind of mesmerizing, right? It feels delicate but precise, like a perfectly balanced equation. And the way they've arranged these tiny pieces to catch the light – it’s all about the interaction between the object and the world around it. You see something similar in the work of Alexander Calder, especially his jewelry. There’s this sense of play, of invention, that’s just irresistible. It’s a reminder that art isn’t just about what you see, but how you see it and how it makes you feel.