Pianospelend meisje 1877 - 1909

Louise Danse created this etching, "Pianospelend Meisje," the Dutch translates to "Girl Playing Piano" using etching techniques. It captures a slice of bourgeois life, likely from the turn of the 20th century. The image presents a young girl, presumably from a well-to-do family, practicing piano in a domestic setting. The presence of a piano, potted plants, and what appears to be a bookcase or decorative screen, speak to the cultural values placed on education, refinement, and domesticity within the Belgian upper-middle class. Danse, born in Belgium, would have been familiar with the conventions of representing women and domestic space in art. Her choice of subject matter aligns with the Impressionist interests in depicting modern life. Yet, as a female artist, she would have also been acutely aware of the social constraints placed on women's participation in the art world and broader society. Archival research into the artist's personal papers and exhibition records could reveal more about her artistic intentions and reception of the work.