Blaasbalg van zilver after 1745

Jan Koningh crafted this miniature bellows from silver; though the exact date is unknown, such intricate objects speak volumes about the society from which they emerged. Reflecting on this tiny bellows, I'm reminded of the saying that "the kitchen is the heart of the home," a space traditionally associated with women's labor. This silver bellows then, existing purely as an aesthetic object, offers an intriguing commentary on labor, gender and class. In a time when the labor of tending a hearth was often unseen and undervalued, rendering a tool associated with that labor in precious metal elevates its status, yet simultaneously removes it from the realm of functionality. This piece invites us to consider the complex ways in which objects can embody societal values and hierarchies, reflecting on whose work is celebrated, and whose remains invisible.