Vier tafels, gestapeld 1658

This detailed engraving titled, "Vier tafels, gestapeld" or "Four tables, stacked" shows designs for elaborate wooden tables, crafted sometime in the early modern period. It is not just the design of the tables that is of interest, but also the labor and class implications embedded within the image. The tables showcase complex joinery, turning, and carving; all skills that would have required extensive training. It is safe to say that these tables would have been exclusive to the wealthy. The level of detailing would have been a display of their wealth and status. The artist's intention to highlight the value of skilled labor, contrasts with the modern tendency to devalue craft. It's a reminder that the objects we surround ourselves with are often the result of immense creative investment, and reflect the social and economic conditions of their time.