Twee lezende vrouwen op een bank 1860 - 1909

Henri Patrice Dillon created this print of two women reading on a bench, but its date is unknown. The work invites us to consider the rise of female literacy and the changing roles of women in late 19th-century Europe. Prints like this one circulated widely at a time when increased access to education and printed material allowed women to engage more deeply with intellectual life. In many European countries, the late 1800s saw burgeoning feminist movements advocating for women's rights, including access to education, property ownership, and suffrage. Dillon was Austrian, but he studied in Paris. How might living in these two different countries have influenced his work? Was he conservative or progressive? Examining social histories and the availability of educational resources for women can provide valuable context. Research into the artist's background and the cultural milieu in which he operated might reveal whether Dillon was making a statement about the changing role of women in society.