Vrouw met kind bij een kaptafel 1755 - 1779

Carl Leberecht Crusius created this print, “Vrouw met kind bij een kaptafel” – or “Woman with child at a dressing table” - in the late 18th century. Images like this one offer us a glimpse into the intimate spaces of domestic life, and the rituals of self-presentation that defined social status. The scene depicts a mother and child in what appears to be a private moment. The dressing table, with its mirror and array of objects, suggests a space dedicated to beautification and display, an increasingly important area for women of the upper and middle classes in the 1700s. Crusius was working in a time of great social change. Enlightenment ideals were challenging the traditional structures of power. As art historians, we look at the ways in which art reflected and shaped these changes. We can examine fashion plates, conduct demographic surveys and scrutinize literary sources to learn about this era, and gain a better understanding of the social and institutional forces that shaped its creation.