Barber's bowl c. 1720

Editor: Here we have an earthenware Barber's Bowl, created around 1720 by an anonymous artist. I find it interesting, not just as a functional object but also for the imagery within the bowl itself. How would you interpret its significance, especially given its historical context? Curator: I see this bowl as a reflection of early 18th-century social hierarchies. Think about who would have had access to such a piece. Barbering was a significant aspect of hygiene and social presentation, particularly for those with the means to engage a barber's services. Editor: So the bowl is a marker of class distinction? Curator: Precisely. But more than that, the imagery gives insight into the *performance* of masculinity and status. Consider the tools depicted. What do they signify? The mirror, the comb, the scissors... They speak to concerns about appearance, control, and perhaps even societal expectations placed upon men. Who was defining the standards of the time, and for whom? How might these standards have marginalized other identities or experiences? Editor: I hadn't considered it from that perspective before, but it makes sense that even something as everyday as a barber's bowl carries loaded cultural meaning. Curator: Objects such as these were often signifiers that dictated how people should perform within their social roles. Reflecting upon these details prompts crucial questions: who felt included, who felt excluded, and who benefitted most? Editor: It’s interesting to think about how much an object like this can tell us about the past, and how it connects to ideas about identity that are still relevant today. Curator: Absolutely. It demonstrates how everyday objects are quietly loaded with sociopolitical history.