Broodbakkende boerinnen 1799

Johann Friedrich Morgenstern made this etching, titled "Broodbakkende boerinnen", which translates to "Bread Baking Farmers" in 1799. The print depicts the daily labor of rural women baking bread. It offers a glimpse into the social conditions of the time. The image itself uses visual cues to create meaning. The setting appears to be a modest farm, possibly in Germany, given Morgenstern's origins. The act of baking bread becomes a lens through which we can examine the lives of rural women. Were these women working for themselves or as part of a larger estate? The image, while seemingly straightforward, invites deeper inquiry into the economic and social structures of the late 18th century. To fully understand this etching, one could delve into historical records, such as agricultural censuses and estate inventories, to understand the place of women in the rural economy. Art becomes a valuable document, contingent on the social and institutional context in which it was created.