Interieur van het huis van Simon van Gijn aan de Nieuwe Haven te Dordrecht 1905

Carel Nicolaas Storm van 's-Gravesande made this sketch of the interior of Simon van Gijn's house in Dordrecht. Van 's-Gravesande, living from 1841 to 1924, was part of a society steeped in tradition, class, and burgeoning industrial change. Through his eyes, we observe a moment of quiet domesticity. The sketch shows an interior that speaks of bourgeois comfort, of lives led within the confines of home and family. The sparseness of the sketch gives insight into the privilege afforded to the Dutch upper class, whose wealth and status were often built on colonial exploitation. How can a seemingly simple drawing of an interior space speak to broader issues of social stratification and historical legacy? Reflect on how our perception of domestic spaces is colored by our awareness of the social structures that both define and confine us.