Bord van tin c. 1875 - 1900

Editor: Here we have "Bord van tin," or "Pewter Plate" by Harm Amsing, crafted sometime between 1875 and 1900. The metallic sheen and the simple, almost severe form gives it a sense of quiet, functional beauty. What stands out to you? Curator: Oh, a plate whispering tales! It feels strangely melancholic, doesn't it? Makes me wonder about all the meals, all the gatherings it might have been part of. I almost sense the stories clinging to its surface like the dust of time. And you know, when you look at something so...ordinary, from a bygone era, it begs the question: what constitutes art? Editor: That's a wonderful way of putting it. So, what elevates it, in your mind? Curator: Perhaps it's the sheer honesty of it. No pretension, just a humble object made with care, designed to serve a simple purpose. But its survival, its presence here now, elevates it, don't you think? It transcends its initial function and becomes a record. A silent witness to generations past. A thought! Can you imagine the meals? The light reflecting from polished silverware. That glint is all that remains from the past. Editor: Absolutely! I guess I hadn't considered it like that before, almost as a…relic. So thinking about our throw-away culture of today, can art simply be how an item endures and what we learn to see in it? Curator: Precisely! The everyday elevated through time, wear, and, of course, our own perspectives. It reminds us that beauty, and meaning, can be found in the most unexpected corners. Even on an old tin plate, if you're willing to look closely enough. It encourages introspection, which is how I think the plate’s beauty is revealed. Editor: I’ll certainly see old pewter plates in a different light from now on!