Ontmoeting in het bos 1837 - 1855

Karel Frederik Bombled created this print called “Ontmoeting in het bos”, or “Encounter in the Woods”. The image captures a moment of interaction between several figures in what seems to be a staged setting within a forest. The print reflects the values and social structures of 19th-century Dutch society. Bombled’s composition, with its careful attention to dress and setting, speaks to a desire for order and refinement, ideals valued by the bourgeois class during the period in which it was made. The artwork maintains traditional representations of gender roles: women are depicted in domestic, passive roles, while men are shown engaging in public or active pursuits. The emotional tenor of the work, which is one of polite interaction, highlights a sense of social stratification, as if emphasizing codes of behavior and class distinctions. Bombled’s work reflects the societal expectations and quiet tensions present in the 19th century.