Een koude dag 1869 - 1937

Leonardus Thomas Boelaars created this print, titled "Een koude dag," meaning "A Cold Day," in the late 19th or early 20th century. It depicts a fashionable woman shielding herself from the winter weather. Made during a time of significant social change in the Netherlands, this image speaks to the evolving role of women. The woman's elegant attire suggests a certain social class and perhaps an embrace of new freedoms for women in the public sphere. Consider the context in which it was created: what social changes were taking place at the time and how did these affect the art world? The image's appearance in the "Katholieke Illustratie," a Catholic magazine, further complicates the picture by suggesting that traditional values were still important in this changing society. To fully appreciate its historical context, one could research the role of women in Dutch society at the turn of the century.