Bench c. early 17th century

Editor: Here we have a wooden bench, carved in the early 17th century, currently housed in the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It strikes me as very functional and straightforward, not overly ornamented. What do you see in this piece, from a broader perspective? Curator: Immediately, I'm drawn to consider who had access to such an object, and who didn't. In the early 17th century, even seemingly simple furniture pieces like this one signaled status. Who was afforded the luxury of leisure and the space for this bench? Whose labor went into felling the tree, carving the wood, and maintaining this object? The relative lack of embellishment, in a way, makes me focus even more on those questions of class and access. Editor: That's fascinating. I hadn't considered it in terms of labor and access so directly. It's so easy to look at something like a bench and think of it only in terms of its use. Curator: Exactly! And what about the design? The bench appears sturdy, meant for collective use, but it might be seen in contrast to, say, the richly adorned chairs reserved for individual rulers or members of the elite. In thinking of how groups gathered, we should also explore what gatherings looked like. What were the codes of conduct in this era and where does this piece fit within these considerations? What stories do our material surroundings reveal about hierarchies and everyday social life? Editor: That makes me think about how the placement of the bench within a space might have influenced social dynamics as well. Curator: Precisely! Its location and context would heavily impact any narrative we might build. The object itself is silent. It falls to us to examine it under social scrutiny. Editor: I now have a deeper appreciation of how even everyday objects can open up complex questions about the past. It will influence my study moving forward! Curator: Wonderful, art history is so rewarding. Now, I have new directions for future considerations myself. Thank you for that.