Origin of Table Manners 1971

Lothar Baumgarten's "Origin of Table Manners" (1971) is a minimalist photograph that presents a simple still life of a table setting. The photograph features a white tablecloth, three plates, and three feathers, two large and one small, as cutlery. The absence of traditional cutlery emphasizes the concept of the meal and the act of eating in a manner that is both familiar and surreal, questioning the origins of table manners themselves. Baumgarten's work, often characterized by its simplicity and focus on everyday objects, challenges viewers to reconsider the mundane and explore the underlying meaning of seemingly ordinary things.