Sledes met fantasiefiguur en meermin 1737 - 1806

Curator: Welcome! Here we have an engraving simply titled "Sledes met fantasiefiguur en meermin" or "Sleds with fantasy figure and mermaid". Created by an anonymous artist between 1737 and 1806. Editor: My first thought is: excess! But also, ingenuity. Look at the incredible ornamentation, even for something as practical as a sled. What stories do these designs tell? Curator: The baroque style speaks of aristocratic extravagance, but the sleds themselves become vehicles for myth. Note the mermaid motif. What narratives were considered appropriate for display, especially those linked to female power, or rather, the exoticized display of female power? Editor: And beyond the figures, I’m fascinated by the *making* of it. Consider the work: from the selection of the metal plates used for engraving, to the fine movements cutting away the material with such precision to generate these incredible sinuous forms. Was this treated as "mere" craft at the time? Or did the intense labor raise its perceived value? Curator: Good point! It shows the tension of decorative arts - are these fantastical shapes reflections of desires, or symbols of power? Do the mermaid and other figures hint at sea voyages, or perhaps Neptune's domain reflecting maritime strength of the era? Editor: Or could the "new Paris fashion" as declared on the etching point to the social dynamics where certain types of design signalled elite membership? What labour underpinned its availability and consumption? Curator: We must also reflect that it has geometric forms in a time where many geometric structures were developed in many artworks for complex optical perceptions. And look at that fineness of lines, as if drawn to give that delicacy and visual grace. It all underscores the artistry involved in these utilitarian, although excessively ornamented, items. Editor: Definitely not something you'd find at your average winter carnival today! Reflecting on the design as a signifier, from material extraction, labour input to consumption habits, offers an alternate means of understanding culture through things. Curator: I think it shows that visual symbols transcend the function of mere status display - the visual rhetoric creates stories that go beyond, speaking about aspirations, culture, and anxieties all frozen in these elegant lines.