Vuursteendraailooppistool met drie lopen c. 1660

Editor: We're looking at a flintlock revolving pistol with three barrels from around 1660, currently held at the Rijksmuseum and crafted by Cornelis Coster. It’s so elegant... for a weapon. What stories do you think this piece holds, given its, shall we say, rather assertive nature? Curator: Ah, yes, the *Vuursteendraailooppistool*. Isn't it fascinating how something designed for such a forceful purpose can possess such a refined aesthetic? Imagine the world this pistol inhabited – a world of baroque excess, where even instruments of defense were adorned. It makes you wonder, doesn't it, about the mindset of the individual who commissioned or even carried such a piece? I almost see a fencer holding it... perhaps someone paranoid or with many enemies! Editor: Absolutely! The combination of metal and wood really grounds the aggression, but it’s definitely trying to be stylish! The wood has such an amazing tone. Is there a reason weapons were elevated to art during this period? Curator: I would guess part fashion and status. During this time period craftsmanship was becoming more appreciated than ever. As opposed to now where automation and AI blur the creative power behind all goods, artisans were deeply treasured and well respected. Weapons especially... think of them as portable status symbols! Now how differently should we feel looking at this item? Editor: That’s a great point. It becomes almost a memento mori, a reminder of life’s fragility disguised as an instrument of power. I never thought I could consider a gun through an aesthetic lens! Curator: Exactly! It's those very contradictions, the tension between beauty and function, that make it such a captivating object. History has turned something as ghastly as a revolving pistol into a spectacle for modern audiences. Hopefully that feeling transcends through this conversation.