Ivoren doos met fiches c. 1725

Curator: This is an ivory box, crafted around 1725, now held at the Rijksmuseum. What are your first impressions? Editor: It’s smaller than I expected. Almost jewel-like. The pale ivory lends a sense of intimacy and preciousness, but the imagery... feels somewhat perplexing. What is being depicted here? Curator: The box is thought to have held gaming counters. The scene is an allegorical representation of Abundance, rendered in miniature. Notice the cornucopia overflowing with fruits and the seated figure symbolizing prosperity. Editor: Right, the figure and the lion! I couldn't place it at first. Looking at the depiction now in our era... How complicit are we when we engage in such symbolic luxury goods crafted of ivory extracted during colonial exploitations? Curator: The artist masterfully utilized ivory—the cultural memory evoked by ivory carries significant emotional weight and value for wealthy Europeans in that historical time. The symbolism blends classical and contemporary iconography of prosperity and security. Consider also the ornamental elements: framing devices evoke classical friezes, loaded with the connotations of bounty, continuity, and the security associated with nobility. Editor: It's undeniably beautiful, though the craftsmanship feels somewhat at odds with the image’s implied message of abundance. I suppose the very existence of such a luxurious item during an era defined by extreme wealth disparity serves to underscore that. It becomes a status marker more than an abstract representation of plenty. Curator: The image itself offers a space to imagine, which reveals some enduring tension: nobility versus vulgar excess. Editor: A space of imagination also laden with some unaddressed problematic power relations! This really compels me to ponder the function of luxury objects in visually reinforcing prevailing socioeconomic structures... Perhaps the enduring appeal resides in both its promise of plenty for a few, as well as some disquiet when beholding it. Curator: Yes, perhaps the ambiguity itself contributes to its enduring appeal. It is not simply decorative—rather, it’s a nexus of cultural projections still vital to decipher now. Editor: An aesthetic and material signifier of the early eighteenth century—speaking still of enduring power dynamics today.