Vrouw met kind en vruchten en een wasvrouw bij een brug 1759 - 1761

Johann Georg Wille created this print, Vrouw met kind en vruchten en een wasvrouw bij een brug, in the 18th century using etching. It depicts two scenes of Dutch rural life, reflecting the social and economic realities of the time. In the upper scene, a mother and child sit outside a modest home, while a figure enters with goods, possibly representing trade or sustenance. The lower scene shows a woman doing laundry by a bridge, a common sight in the Dutch landscape where waterways were vital for daily life and commerce. Created in a period marked by significant social stratification, the artwork offers a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people and the labor they undertook. Studying this artwork through historical records, such as economic surveys, and demographic studies can offer more information on the conditions of Dutch rural life during the 1700s. The meaning of art is contingent on its social and institutional context.