Wandkabinet met gebroken fronton 1642

This drawing, made anonymously, depicts a wall cabinet with a broken pediment. The engraver has used line to define the complex surfaces of the cabinet, delineating how the light might play across the surface of carved wood. Note the use of hatching to create shadow and volume. But here’s the thing: this isn’t just a picture of a cabinet, it is in fact a template for one. The engraver’s work would have served as a guide for a joiner, who would then translate the two-dimensional image into three dimensions. This process relies on a division of labor: the designer conceives of the cabinet’s form, and the maker brings it into being. Consider the amount of work implied by the design: carving, joinery, and finishing. The cabinet becomes a testament to the skill of unseen hands. By considering the labor that goes into it, we can appreciate the rich social context in which this object would have been made.