Key 1850 - 1900

This is a pencil drawing of a key on paper, made by an anonymous artist. The key, usually a mundane object, is here elevated to a status symbol through its elaborate ornamentation. Consider the social hierarchy and systems of power that might make such a symbol relevant. Keys, both literal and metaphorical, grant access. Who controls access, and to what? We see the design of the key featuring ornate decorations and careful craftsmanship, elevating it beyond a simple tool. The key design is likely from Europe, given its visual style and current location in a New York museum. Further research into the key's design, provenance, and the social history of access in the time it was made would deepen our understanding. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context, which historical investigation helps us uncover.