Truth and Beauty in Black

read more

The effect of this prestigious, symbolic, and complex range of pre-modern black colours was developed and perfected by master dyers in the Burgundian-Habsburg Netherlands (c. 1430s-1580s). The famous intensity of Burgundian Black fabrics and their sophisticated production processes engaged all the senses. Yet today, the only remaining evidence of this highly-saturated, multi-sensory material is in the portraiture of the Burgundian period—featuring the elite classes dressed in the elegant black clothing that was a symbol of their status.

Studio Claudy Jongstra, with more than 20 years of experience working with natural dye—from the cultivation of rare, historical pigment plants to the creation of botanical colour palettes of her signature works—was able to conduct historical reconstruction research to revive the Burgundian Black palette with a level of authenticity that is unachievable in conventional laboratory settings or with mass-produced ingredients.

In collaboration with international scientists, historians, archaeologists, specialists, conservators, and curators, and under the guidance of the European Research Council project ‘Artechne’ (Utrecht University and University of Amsterdam) led by Prof. Dr. Sven Dupré, a collection of historical colour-recipe books, art-technological sources, and dyer’s manuscripts (or “books of secrets”) were translated into carefully calibrated and documented processes, using locally-sourced ingredients, resulting in a rich Burgundian Black palette for this radically contemporary application.

The symbolism of Burgundian Black is also transformed in its contemporary context. Asking the viewer to take time and look more closely to experience subtle variations in hue and undertone, draws attention to the forgotten value of natural colour and the loss of understanding of or connection to the organic origins of the colours we see, wear and interact with every day.

The Mingei International Museum, devoted to “Art of the World, Art of the People,” including folk art, craft, and design from across the globe, is an ideal venue for critical conversations about making processes; materials and their relationships to the environments from which they are sourced; and how knowledge and skills are passed down over generations. Jongstra’s ‘Truth and Beauty in Black’ aims to engage with the Museum’s diverse collection in order to inspire a renewed appreciation for the historic interconnectivity between humanity, material, culture and environment.