Ganzenveren schrijfpen c. 1590 - 1596

Curator: The work we're looking at here is a goose feather pen, crafted sometime between 1590 and 1596. It resides here in the Rijksmuseum. Editor: There's a quiet beauty in its simplicity. The pale material and sharp cut of the nib immediately bring to mind focused craftsmanship and meticulous inscription. Curator: It’s incredible to consider how integral items like these were to shaping our history and understanding of the 16th century. Writing implements determined whose voices would be amplified, whose knowledge would be disseminated. Editor: Absolutely. Think of the labour involved. This wasn’t just about writing, but sourcing the right feather, preparing it, shaping it, the repetitive process of crafting each one... Curator: Precisely. Access to writing tools was a privilege. Ownership was linked to social position and literacy was a tool wielded by the powerful, largely excluding marginalized voices of the time. The church, aristocracy and scholarly class depended on this for legal decrees, administration, and propaganda, for the codifying of societal rules. Editor: And even then, quality was vital. The preparation process significantly impacted the act of writing. A well-prepared pen speaks to dedicated work and access to skilled crafters who would know the proper treatment. This object is beautiful but only one step in an important industrial chain of creation, distribution, and cultural capital. Curator: The goose feather pen facilitated this control, a stark reminder of the historical power imbalances prevalent during that period. Each flourish and stroke would've reinforced that dominance through record and bureaucracy. Editor: Looking at it that way, the object prompts critical questions around accessibility and participation of the different members of society, encouraging reflections on authorship and labor and their impacts on society. Curator: I completely agree, seeing objects such as these through that scope reminds us of art's role within broader historical and power structures. Editor: Well, looking at this goose feather pen certainly gave us new material insights today. Curator: Indeed. A valuable perspective on historical, social implications from a humble tool.