Zittende vrouw met een mand 1782 - 1837

Pieter Bartholomeusz Barbiers created this print, "Seated Woman with a Basket," around the turn of the 19th century. The work provides a glimpse into the representation of women in Dutch art during a time of significant social and political change. Barbiers, who came from a family of artists, captured the image of a woman, possibly a peasant, pausing from her labor. She is seated, barefoot, with a basket at her side. During this period, representations of working-class women often served to highlight notions of rural life and labor. The woman’s simple clothing and head covering suggest a life removed from the urban and aristocratic circles that often dominated artistic portrayals. What does it mean to consider the untold stories of those whose lives were intertwined with the land, whose labor sustained communities, and whose experiences were often relegated to the margins of history? This artwork invites us to consider the intersection of gender, class, and labor. It's a poignant reflection on the lives of those who lived and worked outside the frame of traditional power structures.