Schaal met vruchten 1605 - 1678

Editor: This drawing, "Schaal met vruchten" or "Bowl with Fruit", by Paul de Vos, dating sometime between 1605 and 1678, is made with pencil. It feels like a quick study. What can you tell me about the means of its production? Curator: Well, notice how the pencil itself is a processed material, revealing an entire system of labor – from the mining of graphite to the craft of wood shaping, not to mention the systems of commerce required for distribution. And the fruit? This sketch hints at the booming industry of the Dutch Golden Age, the global networks used to source and sell new consumer products to a wealthier populace. Editor: So it’s not just a bowl of fruit, it’s about trade and labor? Curator: Exactly. Even the support - the paper itself - required immense material resources and labour to produce. Consider how its relatively wide availability enabled and democratized art-making during this era. Does the sketching medium change how you see the final artwork? Editor: I suppose. The pencil makes it feel more like a commodity object. Do you think De Vos saw this as craft, or as high art? Curator: The very distinction is revealing! By sketching these everyday objects, artists blurred the boundaries between mere “craft” and fine art. By thinking through material terms, we can break down traditional hierarchies and access a broader understanding of early modern consumer culture. What did you find most surprising about it? Editor: The global networks represented by a simple bowl of fruit and a humble pencil. It's like a quiet revolution in materials. Curator: Precisely! The seemingly simple reveals the complex workings of society and production.