Small Table with Square Top, Slender Columnar Support, and Flaring Circular Base c. 16th century

Editor: Here's a fascinating piece, an anonymous small table from the Harvard Art Museums, made of wood. It has a red, square top, which makes it pop. What strikes you about this practical artwork? Curator: Considering its construction, I wonder about the labor involved. What kind of wood was used, and how was it treated? The table’s design suggests a specific function. What sort of activities might have taken place around it, and for whom? Editor: Those are great points. I hadn’t considered the socioeconomic implications of owning such a table! Curator: Exactly! By studying the materials and the means of production, we can uncover its value as more than a simple furnishing.