Oboe c. 1720 - 1730

This is an oboe, made around the late 17th or early 18th century by Jan Steenbergen. During this time, the Netherlands experienced a cultural shift, with music playing an increasingly important role in both public and private life. As the Dutch Golden Age waned, instruments like this oboe became symbols of refined taste and social status. Consider the significance of sound and silence during an era marked by colonial expansion and social stratification. The oboe's music, enjoyed by the wealthy, stood in stark contrast to the silenced voices of the colonized and the working class. An instrument like this invites reflection on who had access to beauty and creative expression, and whose stories went unheard. It connects us to the complexities of history, reminding us that even the most beautiful objects can be embedded in unequal social structures.