Achtste slede 1776

Abraham Delfos created this image of a sled, in the Netherlands, sometime in the 18th century. He used watercolor and gouache, a technique related to watercolor but more opaque, to describe the luxurious vehicle. Consider the materiality of the artwork itself. Paper was relatively expensive at the time, but not as costly as the real-life sled. The artistry here lies in conveying the opulence of the original object, and also the labor of all who were involved in its production. The sled itself would have required carpenters, gilders, painters, and textile workers to realize its design. And Delfos, in turn, used his own skills to capture the scene in miniature. The question arises: does the image celebrate the material culture of the Dutch elite, or does it implicitly critique the labor required to sustain that lifestyle? This artwork challenges the traditional distinction between fine art and craft by highlighting the materials, making, and social context that inform its meaning.