Vuursteengeweer met batterijslot c. 1699 - 1899

This flintlock rifle was made by W. Tessinck, using steel, wood, and brass. Consider the labor involved in its manufacture: the felling of trees, the milling of lumber, the forging and rifling of the barrel, and the careful shaping of the stock. While gunsmithing was already becoming industrialized at the time this weapon was made, much of its value would still have resided in skilled handcraft. Notice the decorative touches – the delicate inlays and precisely fitted metalwork. These elevate the functional object to the realm of art. The materials, the process, and ultimately the intended use of this rifle are all inextricably linked. It is a reminder that even the most exquisitely crafted objects can be instruments of power, and that aesthetics are never truly separate from politics.