Wandelende vrouw met hond c. 1854 - 1887

Alexander Ver Huell made this drawing of a woman walking with her dog in the Netherlands at some point during the 19th century. This work can be seen as a document of bourgeois culture and the changing roles of women in that period. Images such as this reflect the increasing social freedom experienced by women as they moved out of the domestic sphere. At the same time, the woman’s elegant dress code speaks to the expectations and constraints placed upon women in that period, such as the pressure to follow the latest fashions. The dog can be read as a symbol of loyalty but also as a symbol of status. To fully understand this drawing, one can delve into sources from the period. These resources might include fashion magazines, etiquette manuals, and social commentaries. By piecing together the social and cultural context in which this drawing was made, we can begin to appreciate it as both a work of art and a historical artifact.