Plate (part of a set) 1759 - 1793

This plate, part of a set, was made by De Porceleyne Bijl. The blue and white plate depicts a garden scene, with a man offering a flower to a woman. Above the figures the word ‘April’ is inscribed, suggesting this plate is part of a series representing the months of the year, and their associated activities. The image invites us to consider the roles of men and women in the domestic sphere, and how gendered expectations are woven into the rituals of daily life. In seventeenth-century Dutch culture, gardens were often spaces of both labor and leisure, reflecting social status and ideas about nature. The act of giving flowers might symbolize courtship and affection, also reflecting a delicate balance of power and exchange between the sexes. This artwork not only reflects the aesthetic tastes of its time but also provides insight into the social dynamics and gendered customs that shaped Dutch society.