Breiende oude vrouw 1834 - 1911

Jozef Israëls made this pencil drawing of a knitting old woman. It likely dates to the mid-19th century, the time when institutions like the Rijksmuseum were founded and national identities were being imagined. Israëls was part of the Hague School, a group of Dutch realist painters. They turned away from the grand history painting of earlier generations, finding their subjects in the everyday lives of ordinary people. Look at the woman's clothing and posture. What does it tell us about her social class and role within the family unit? How might the artist's decision to depict her in such a humble pose reflect changing social values? Was he simply documenting the world around him, or was he making a statement about the dignity of labor and the importance of the elderly within the community? To answer these questions, we can examine a range of period sources, from exhibition reviews to census records and even conduct oral history. Art always exists in dialogue with its social and institutional context, and historical research helps us to understand that conversation.