Ganzenveren pen c. 1590 - 1596

Editor: This is an anonymous drawing from around 1590-1596, held at the Rijksmuseum: a simple quill pen rendered on paper. It’s striking in its simplicity; almost a celebration of the everyday object. What is your interpretation of it? Curator: The seemingly straightforward depiction belies a deeper engagement with the socio-cultural context of the time. Consider the implications of depicting the instrument of writing itself. Writing was power, literacy access. How would displaying something as mundane as this challenge the prevailing artistic conventions in its time? Editor: I hadn’t thought of it that way. The focus isn't necessarily on some grand subject but rather the *tool* that allows those subjects to even be recorded. Curator: Exactly! The goose feather pen transforms from a mere object into a potent symbol of knowledge, creativity, and social mobility, especially within the burgeoning print culture of the late 16th century. The art market began gaining prevalence during that period, so how did the production, purchase, and interpretation of an affordable drawing impact the social order? Editor: That's a compelling perspective. Does the lack of known authorship add to the artwork's cultural meaning, obscuring and, paradoxically, revealing details about period culture? Curator: Precisely. Absence can be a powerful presence. The unknown author positions the object front and center, which serves to elevate the tool. The pen is forever inscripted, poised, it will continue its work with the owner and those with whom its ideas are exchanged. Editor: Thank you. Thinking about how the artwork reflected on both the known and the unknown is definitely eye opening. Curator: Indeed. Analyzing commonplace objects through the lens of their cultural and social implications helps us understand power structures of the past and their lasting effect on what we create today.