Wig cabinet (cabinet de coiffure) 1680 - 1690

Curator: Welcome. Before us stands a "Wig cabinet (cabinet de coiffure)" crafted sometime between 1680 and 1690 by Johann Daniel Sommer II. It resides now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: My first thought? This piece screams status. The deep red contrasting with that meticulous silver filigree, it's…powerful. The cabinet’s structure, its careful symmetries – almost intimidating. Curator: It’s important to remember what a wig signified then: power, wealth, position. To own such a piece and then require a cabinet to house it tells us much about late 17th century culture and consumption. We’re talking elite social circles. Editor: Absolutely, and it is not just practical. Look at the symbolic language! The floral motifs. They're not accidental. These carefully placed ornaments communicate elegance and perhaps fleeting beauty associated with status and royalty, reminding me of the vanitas paintings of the era. A visible claim to more than mere necessity. Curator: Indeed. Now, let's consider the artistry of its construction. We are drawn into this world of ornate woodworking combined with expert metalworking—this fusion speaks to the cabinetmaker's remarkable skill and possibly, to the workshop dynamic where specialization might have flourished. Editor: I am sure there are fascinating historical stories about these particular craftsmen and patrons, and the cultural beliefs embodied in such elaborate displays of finery and expensive tastes, with each twist of metal telling of class, taste, power! Curator: We could speculate endlessly! It speaks to an elaborate system where presentation dictated one's place in the rigid social hierarchy of the era. This cabinet and what it held encapsulates a very particular performance. Editor: Thinking about this work helps peel back layers of performance, taste, status... revealing some pretty amazing truths about past life through objects. Thank you for helping contextualize my impressions.