To the millions of individuals with harried lifestyles, the artistic flourish or design of a fork or knife may escape notice. However, the Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum in New York is intimately concerned with such matters, and they have created this delightful online exhibit that explores the design of various table tools and accessories from 1500 to 2005. As its focal point, the website is primarily concerned with the “Big Three” of the table: the fork, the knife, and the spoon. Visitors can browse through the interactive timeline offered here that traces through each utensil’s respective evolution, as well as read three short “biographies” of each. Along the way, visitors are treated to images of a ponderous spoon from 17th century Germany and a dagger-like knife from 16th century France. The site also contains a number of specialized thematic offerings, such as short essays and images that address the ergonomics of the table, flatware for children, and the naturalism movement in tableware design.
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