Have you ever stopped to read a label in a museum and, instead of finding the object to which it refers, come across yet another label? An example of this can be seen by clicking the image to the left. It refers to a portrait of "Mrs Carré, dancer" by the Swedish artist, Lorentz Sparrgren (1763-1828). At the time the photograph was taken the object had been removed from its usual place amongst the miniatures of Sweden's Nationalmuseum. It could instead be found in another room of same museum, this time as part of a temporary exhibition entitled "Lust and Vice". The little portrait of the rather scantily clad Mrs Carré might not have moved very far, but its relocation meant that it had been reframed to tell a very different story.
This is a reminder that the meaning of things is neither fixed nor inherent. Instead, it is the physical and temporal context of an object that determines its significance. That's what makes museums such interesting places: their collections can be reformulated in all sorts of minor and major ways. Each change inside (and outside) the museum will alter the nature of the collection. So, even if Mrs Carré is destined to return to the comparative obscurity of the miniatures collection of Sweden's Nationalmuseum, she will have gained new-found exposure. Perhaps her fame might spread? The next time you look for her another label might have taken her place informing you that Mrs Carré is currently touring the great museums of the world in a glare of publicity. Like everyone, of course, she will at some point have to come back home. But what memories she'll have! Her exploits will be charted in lavishly illustrated exhibition catalogues, books and postcards. Who knows, she might one day become a saucy fridge magnet...
This is a reminder that the meaning of things is neither fixed nor inherent. Instead, it is the physical and temporal context of an object that determines its significance. That's what makes museums such interesting places: their collections can be reformulated in all sorts of minor and major ways. Each change inside (and outside) the museum will alter the nature of the collection. So, even if Mrs Carré is destined to return to the comparative obscurity of the miniatures collection of Sweden's Nationalmuseum, she will have gained new-found exposure. Perhaps her fame might spread? The next time you look for her another label might have taken her place informing you that Mrs Carré is currently touring the great museums of the world in a glare of publicity. Like everyone, of course, she will at some point have to come back home. But what memories she'll have! Her exploits will be charted in lavishly illustrated exhibition catalogues, books and postcards. Who knows, she might one day become a saucy fridge magnet...
