Knoop, konisch met ribben en bladvormig oog c. 1590 - 1596

This conical, ribbed, leaf-shaped button was anonymously crafted at an unknown date, and now resides in the Rijksmuseum. What can we say about an object so small and unassuming? Consider the time and place it was made, likely within the Netherlands. The button reflects the culture that produced and valued it; it’s a material product of its time. Looking at its form, it embodies the region’s artistic values and ideals. As a common object, it reveals something about the everyday lives of people long gone. The role of the historian is to piece together the story, using the resources available to us. By exploring this button, we can better understand the culture and society that brought it into being, finding meaning in the smallest of artifacts.