Theuerdank 1517

Curator: Here we have a look at "Theuerdank," dating back to 1517. It resides here in the Rijksmuseum and was crafted through the hands of Jost de Negker. Editor: Initially, I'm struck by the texture of it. The tactile impression is immediate even through an image. You can almost feel the weight and the age of the materials. Curator: Indeed. "Theuerdank" is not just any object, but a meticulously designed book. Commissioned by Emperor Maximilian I, it stands as a political statement. Editor: So, it’s less about individual artistic expression and more about... manufactured authority? Were these luxurious objects more for show than for use? Curator: Precisely. It was a deliberate construction of Maximilian’s legacy. Note the Northern Renaissance influences—reflecting a cultural and political positioning on a European stage. Editor: Which, speaking of material, manifested through the intricate woodcut prints on what appears to be textile. Do we know what kind of dyes were used? Did that influence its conservation, and how have shifts in access and valuation altered its meaning? Curator: Absolutely. These woodcuts played a crucial role. This level of detail meant controlling narratives on a massive scale, pushing specific readings through accessibility. Editor: Making me consider the labor that went into its creation. How many artisans, how many hours invested? Each cut a deliberate act. We're really looking at the production chain of a cultural artefact. Curator: Yes, understanding that materiality, those very choices in production, allow us to unpick how power operates in the visual sphere of the 16th Century. Editor: To think about it today, considering all the implications of labor and material… I find myself re-evaluating the role an object like this plays now. Curator: And reflecting on what we preserve, and the histories of that preserving... Editor: Absolutely. It's a heavy book filled with a lot more weight beyond just its pages.