Een paar zilveren schoengespen, versierd met rocaille-ornament c. 1772

Editor: Here we have a pair of silver shoe buckles adorned with rocaille ornaments, dating back to around 1772. They are small, intricate, and suggest a very specific idea of luxury and status. What social narratives are at play here? Curator: These aren't just decorative objects; they are loaded with political and social meaning. Consider the Rococo style - a style embraced by the aristocracy. Shoe buckles like these speak to a very gendered performance of status, a highly ornamental and restricted experience of dress. The impracticality of silver buckles also denotes wealth and leisure, positioning the wearer within a certain social hierarchy. How do you see this display of wealth connecting with the social and political climate of the time? Editor: Well, I imagine it's a period marked by extreme inequality. So, something like this would have been very pointed, maybe even provocative in some circles. It seems like such overt displays of luxury could easily be viewed as a sign of indifference to the struggles of common people. Curator: Precisely. This is where art history meets social and political history. These shoe buckles serve as material culture, almost propaganda that silently reinforced existing power structures. The elite flaunting this wealth likely fueled growing resentment, contributing to the larger social tensions that would eventually boil over. In what ways do you see material culture functioning similarly today? Editor: I guess now you might see wealth displayed through logos or "hypebeast" brands - visual signals broadcast and understood by many. Though perhaps these Rococo buckles feel more subtle in comparison? Curator: Not necessarily. What these buckles share with modern displays of wealth is exclusivity, access, and the active creation and maintenance of social division. It is a helpful lesson in viewing seemingly innocuous objects critically and recognizing their place in larger power dynamics.