Man met een pijp (de Reuk) 1659 - 1740

Curator: Here we have an etching titled "Man met een pijp (de Reuk)" attributed to Jan van der Bruggen, though it’s worth noting its production date is broadly given as between 1659 and 1740. Editor: It's the figure's face that really strikes me. There’s something both incredibly raw and slightly unnerving about the etched lines capturing such a coarse character. Curator: Absolutely. Let's consider the social context here. Works depicting figures from lower social classes were popular, often moralizing through humor or satire, subtly reinforcing social hierarchies. The prominent display of the pipe is interesting because the materials are likely clay, which speaks to the commodification of leisurely habits among certain working-class circles. Editor: So, the material itself – clay for the pipe, ink for the etching – becomes crucial. Both are readily available, relatively inexpensive materials. Etchings, particularly, allowed for the widespread distribution of imagery, which can challenge notions about fine art, accessibility, and visual economies. How the material impacts consumption interests me greatly. Curator: Precisely! This speaks to an intriguing question of value, doesn't it? On one hand, it can perpetuate harmful stereotypes about working-class identities but also functions as an intimate portrayal of that sector's individuals at that particular time in that space. This also speaks to the representation of masculine identity; he appears to exude enjoyment and leisure. Editor: And consider the labor involved – from the making of the pipe to the artist’s meticulous etching, labor is the foundational material for the artwork. What we witness here is a layering of the processes and what society deems leisure activity which leads us back to that key question of who has time to enjoy these materials? Curator: The figure and what he holds tell us that what seems at first glance to be merely an aesthetic or even comical observation has quite rich layers of information about identity and its material implications in a historic society. Editor: Indeed. The image pulls us back into an era through materials and its context helps re-examine our world.