Magesyn der Italiaense gebouwen before 1768

Curator: Here we have “Magesyn der Italiaense gebouwen," dating from before 1768. Editor: That's the cover? I thought it was some beautifully aged tile work at first glance. The marbled wood, outlined with delicate trim, looks so richly tactile. Curator: Indeed! This decorative art object showcases wood as its primary medium, crafted by diverse makers, residing now at the Rijksmuseum. Think of what stories this binding has held closed and protected. The central ornament, with its gilded frame, has the same draw. Editor: The marbled texture immediately catches the eye. Given its age, it prompts me to consider the skills of the makers, the access to material. It also sparks the questions that material endures, why and how. What kind of labor produced it? Curator: You're right to consider the enduring nature. Ornamentation, here, holds symbolic weight. Consider the use of borders – visually defining and containing the 'Italian buildings', shaping how we perceive the world within. This binding wasn't merely functional. Editor: So much intention clearly went into what could easily be, at least in today’s world, an unnoticed part of an everyday object. Curator: Precisely, there is a real sense of both secular and the aesthetic here. Even within "decorative arts" which carries its own historical weight and judgment about value and function. Editor: To view it closely shifts its categorization, too. Now I think more about where and how such decoration mattered and about its role. Curator: Exactly! It gives a voice back. Seeing it as part of social dialogues allows us to rethink. Editor: Examining it materially certainly opens discussions, that’s for sure. Curator: Absolutely. Its symbolism gives material history another layer to comprehend.