Zitkamer met een tafel, twee stoelen en een bank 1867

This pencil drawing depicting a ‘Sitting room with a table, two chairs and a sofa’ was made by Maria Vos, a Dutch artist working in the 19th century. Vos lived in a time when women had limited access to formal art education and professional opportunities. Despite these challenges, she became known for her still lifes and interior scenes. This intimate interior provides a glimpse into the domestic sphere, a space traditionally associated with women. The detailed rendering of furniture and decorative elements suggests a comfortable, middle-class environment. Yet, the sketch also raises questions about the role and status of women within these spaces. Were they confined to these domestic settings, or did they find agency and expression within them? Consider how Vos, as a woman artist, navigated her own position in society while depicting these gendered spaces. The drawing is both a record of a particular time and place, and an invitation to reflect on the lives and experiences of women in the 19th century.