Obstinate Child 1759

Editor: This is "Obstinate Child" by Johann Georg Wille. It's a small, delicate print. I'm struck by the details of everyday life captured here, but also by the tension between the mother and child. What do you make of this scene? Curator: It’s a delicious slice of 18th-century life, isn't it? The way Wille renders the textures - the thatched roof, the rough stone - it's almost tactile. But look closer; what's the *real* story here? Is it just a grumpy kid, or is there something else bubbling beneath the surface about societal expectations or the challenges of parenthood? Editor: That's interesting. I hadn't considered the broader social context. It makes you wonder about their lives beyond this moment. Curator: Exactly! And isn't that what art is all about? Whispering stories that make us ponder our own.