Oboe c. 1720

Curator: Standing before us is a baroque oboe crafted around 1720. It combines wood, metal, and what appears to be ivory to achieve its form. What's your initial take? Editor: I am struck by its dark elegance. There's an austere quality that also feels incredibly refined. The sleek, vertical design practically demands attention. Curator: Indeed. Observe how the ivory accents articulate the oboe's distinct sections, almost creating a visual rhythm that guides the eye upward. Note the strategic placement of the metal keys—functional but also ornamental. It seems to me a triumph of form following function. Editor: I can’t help but consider the social context. Who would have owned such an exquisite instrument? Was music seen as mere entertainment or as a site of potential collaboration—or resistance? Curator: It’s the very early 18th century. Presumably it belonged to an aristocrat, maybe an accomplished woman or musician who perhaps participated in the courts of Europe at the time. A high point for courtly life, I'd argue. Editor: Or consider it this way: perhaps this oboe gave voice to enslaved or otherwise marginalized musicians whose creative outputs have long been suppressed or gone uncredited in canonical narratives. This object then asks us to consider questions of power and subjugation, especially how race and class influence accessibility to artistic resources. Curator: That's compelling. It is a testament to the oboe’s enduring resonance that an instrument crafted centuries ago can prompt such contemporary and multifaceted interpretations. It allows us to hear music not just in the abstract but as embedded in history and experience. Editor: Precisely, every curve and contour bears witness to the human stories entwined within it. Thank you for opening my ears—and mind.