Halskraag met plooien c. 1590 - 1596

Editor: This is an interesting piece, it's titled "Ruff with pleats," dating back to around 1590 to 1596. It's currently at the Rijksmuseum. It appears to be made of textile. Looking at the way the textile is pleated and frayed, what do you see in terms of materiality? Curator: What immediately strikes me is the labour involved in producing this ruff. It speaks volumes about the social context of the time. These weren't mass-produced; they required meticulous handcrafting. We must consider who was making them, and what their conditions were like. Editor: So, you're thinking less about the aesthetic beauty and more about the making of it? Curator: Precisely. While beauty is subjective, the material conditions are concrete. Who harvested the flax, spun the thread, wove the fabric, and then painstakingly pleated this ruff? These are the questions a materialist approach asks. The value lies not just in its appearance, but in the immense labor embodied within. It bridges the gap between high art and the often-overlooked world of craft. Editor: That's a great point! It's easy to see these objects in museums as isolated pieces, but considering the labor and the conditions of its creation really changes the perspective. Curator: It does, doesn't it? By examining the means of production, the materials used, and the social context, we gain a much deeper understanding of the object itself and the world in which it was created. Editor: Thanks, I'll remember that when looking at textiles.