Rouwende vrouwen 1842 - 1873

Willem Frederik Wehmeyer made this print, ‘Mourning Women,’ sometime in the first half of the 19th century. It depicts women in classical robes grieving in front of a dark landscape. Wehmeyer was working at a time of burgeoning print culture in Europe, and this work reflects the influence of religious and historical painting, genres that often served to reinforce social and political norms. The women’s idealized features and flowing garments recall classical sculpture and Neoclassical painting, styles favored by the European academies that dominated the art world. The print’s somber tone and subject matter would have resonated with a public accustomed to seeing art in churches and state-sponsored museums that promoted piety and national identity. But Wehmeyer's print can also be seen as a more intimate expression of grief and loss. To understand Wehmeyer's position within the artistic and cultural landscape of his time, one might consult exhibition reviews, biographies, and other archival materials to trace the artist’s career and the reception of his work.