Vuursteenpistool c. 1690

Editor: Here we have two flintlock pistols, made around 1690. They're crafted from a combination of carved wood and metal. I am immediately struck by the elaborate detailing - it feels almost paradoxical to lavish such attention on instruments of violence. What can you tell me about them? Curator: It’s fascinating to consider these pistols as objects born of a specific mode of production. Look closely – the metalwork, the carving of the wood. Each of those involved specialized labor. These weren't mass-produced, stamped-out items. The labor creates not just functionality but also this level of detail that transcends utilitarianism, embedding status, craft, and capital into an instrument of war. Consider what resources were required to make these... Editor: So it is the time, labour, skills and rare materials rather than any symbolic content which interests you most? Curator: Absolutely. We need to ask questions like: Who owned these weapons? Were they made for the wealthy, adorning them as trophies to wield their status? How does their materiality reflect and contribute to the social hierarchy of the time? In whose hands, ultimately, were these instruments placed, and to what ends? Editor: I see how examining the physical properties and means of production allows a window into the historical context... Thank you for broadening my view. Curator: My pleasure. Considering these objects this way highlights how entwined art, craft, and the means of domination truly are. I wonder if similar examples could provide information on changing dynamics in labour.