Meubelstukken en stillevens 1858

This pencil drawing of furniture and still life objects was made by Maria Vos at an unknown date. Vos was part of a generation of female artists who, though they lacked access to formal art institutions, found ways to establish themselves in the Dutch art world. Here, the jumble of sketches of household objects – tables, flowers, and covered items – seem to depict the leisured domesticity of Dutch bourgeois life. Vos came from a wealthy background and therefore was not dependent on income from her art. It is thus likely that her paintings depict the reality of her life. But, it is also worth noting that the institutions of art at this time, like art academies and the art market, were male-dominated, and genres like still life were seen as more appropriate for women. To understand Vos' work, one would need to know more about the social and institutional contexts of 19th century Dutch art. We might research her background, the art market, and the art education system.