Man leunend op een stok en een vrouw met een kind op een landweg 1815

Jacob Ernst Marcus created this print titled ‘Man leaning on a stick and a woman with a child on a country road’ in 1816. Marcus was active during a time of significant social change in the Netherlands, influenced by Enlightenment ideals and the rise of a middle class. The artwork presents a study in contrasts. A well-dressed man pauses on his journey, leaning casually on a walking stick, while a woman and child walk along the road in the distance. The work offers a glimpse into the social strata of the time, hinting at disparities in lifestyle and opportunity. We can only imagine the stories and struggles of the figures depicted. The man, smoking a pipe and wearing a large hat, is at ease, while the woman is walking, burdened with what looks like a pack on her back, and with a young child. It’s a poignant reminder of the different realities experienced by men and women, and the burdens often carried by women, both literally and figuratively. The work is also a glimpse into the rural life of the Netherlands, with its country roads and open landscapes.