Zittend meisje 1847 - 1899

Jacob Maris made this sketch of a seated girl with graphite on paper at an unknown date. Maris was a leading figure of the Hague School, a group of Dutch artists who, in the late 19th century, turned away from the grand, historical painting traditions of the old masters. Instead, they focused on everyday subjects and the Dutch landscape. In that context, even a simple sketch takes on meaning. It shows the artist's interest in modern, ordinary life. Note the girl’s simple clothing and the way she is positioned indoors, looking out of the window, perhaps contemplating her future. To understand this work better, we can look at the exhibition histories of the Hague School, period photography of the Netherlands, and literature of the time. Through this, we can reveal the social and institutional contexts that gave rise to this image.