Onderbroek, handwerk c. 1888 - 1894

Curator: Look at this unassuming pair of hand-worked "Onderbroek," or underpants, crafted sometime between 1888 and 1894 by a certain G. Glas. The piece is presented in a photograph as though staged for sale or inventory. Editor: You know, it strikes me as incredibly simple, almost…monastic in its stark whiteness. The cut is also kind of adorable, like something a child might wear, only without any embellishment or playful design. It gives off an odd sense of vulnerability. Curator: That stark whiteness carries connotations, doesn't it? Think of the "purity" it's meant to signify, the starkness a symbol for social and moral cleanliness. Underwear, as an item of clothing closest to the body, takes on heightened significance. Editor: Right, the inner self, laid bare. It’s interesting that even something as functional as underpants becomes imbued with symbolic weight. Looking at the design and construction—it's purely practical. The ties are a surprisingly gentle fastening method, almost quaint compared to modern elastic or fasteners. Curator: And that points to another aspect of the garment’s significance. We are now in a moment in history defined by mass-produced items, consider the skill and labor involved in crafting something by hand like this in the 1890s! Each stitch carries intention and time. How different that is from our disposable undergarments of today. Editor: I love that you say disposable garments! It feels poignant, looking at something so simple and yet realizing how loaded it is with societal ideas and how it differs from the ones we’re wearing right now, maybe in color, style, and material, not so basic. Curator: Indeed. They reveal not just a function, but also layers of cultural meaning about the body and its place in society. Thank you, "Onderbroek," for allowing such contemplation! Editor: Thanks for turning a simple garment into a philosophical excursion, amazing how much a pair of white cotton pants can reveal.