Stel dat elkaar een hand geeft en een afgewende man c. 1654

Gesina ter Borch created "Stel dat elkaar een hand geeft en een afgewende man" with pen in the 17th century, a time of immense social change in the Netherlands. This drawing presents a woman and two men, capturing a moment of encounter and distance. We see a woman extending her hand to a man, while another man stands turned away, as if in contemplation or rejection. Ter Borch, as a woman artist in a patriarchal society, often focused on domestic life and social interactions, offering subtle critiques of gender roles and expectations. The emotional nuance in this work – the offered hand, the averted gaze – speaks to the complexities of human relationships. Ter Borch develops a narrative that diverges from traditional representations, offering a more introspective and personal view of social dynamics. Ter Borch's drawing invites us to reflect on the unspoken tensions that can exist between individuals, and reminds us that history is always personal.