Kijken naar geschiedenis

Kijken naar geschiedenis is about objects: not about objects as art, but as a historical source. Historians seldom use objects as a source of information, which is a pity, because objects can contribute a great deal to an understanding of history. The authors, who both work at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, discuss the possibilities and impossibilities of using objects as a historical source. What are historical objects exactly? What kind of information can they give us, and how do we study them? And in particular, how do we present them in museums? In their presentations museums often convey the impression that they are showing the past as it actually was. The objects constitute irrefutable evidence. But how hard is this evidence? Is it not always possible to give a different interpretation and tell a different story? On the basis of many examples, the book enables the reader to share in the dilemmas involved in the study and presentation of historical objects. This book is a manual for historians, museum workers and interested museum visitors.