Lezenaars en standaarden voor missalen 1857 - 1859

This page of designs shows a range of lecterns and stands for missals, conceived by Pierre Joseph Hubert Cuypers. Although this is just a sketch in pencil, we can readily imagine it translated into carved wood or cast metal. Consider the amount of labor involved, not just in the making of the object but also in the preparation of the design. Cuypers was a key figure in the Dutch Gothic Revival, and such drawings were essential to the revivalist project. He built or restored hundreds of churches, each requiring bespoke furnishings. These designs would have been translated into detailed specifications for workshops full of skilled artisans. The question is, who would do the making? The revivalist style implied handcraft, but this was also the era of industrialization. These objects evoke a tension between the individual devotional act and the division of labor in the workshop, between the timelessness of faith and the march of capitalism. Ultimately, an understanding of the materials, making, and context enhances our appreciation, challenging conventional distinctions between art and craft.