Untitled (baby in bassinet) c. 1940

This photograph by Paul Gittings shows a baby in a bassinet. While we don't know the date of the photograph, we can focus on the bassinet itself, which would have been made of woven wicker, and trimmed with textiles and lace. Consider how much labor went into the making of this domestic object. The wicker would have been carefully shaped and woven. Think of the person who sat and worked, hour after hour, creating this object. Then think of the textiles, most likely machine-made, but perhaps embellished with hand-made lace, another time-intensive process. All of this labor was dedicated to the care of one small human being. And all of it represents expenditure, a financial investment in the next generation. Whether made by hand, or machine, the objects surrounding us all carry this history. Appreciating this dimension of material culture can open a new window onto the past.