Jonge vrouw uit Scheveningen aan de kust 1825 - 1835

Jean-Baptiste Madou created this print of a young woman from Scheveningen at the coast sometime in the 19th century. During this period, the Netherlands was experiencing a surge of national romanticism, with an increased interest in folklore and regional customs. Madou’s depiction of this young woman is part of a broader artistic trend that romanticized rural life and local traditions. Her traditional costume, with its distinctive bonnet and patterned fabrics, emphasizes her connection to a specific place and community. We might consider what it meant for women to be seen as embodiments of regional identity. The print offers us a carefully constructed image of Dutch heritage, but what aspects of daily life are excluded from this idealized representation? It’s interesting to think about the role of images like this in shaping national identity and how they might have influenced perceptions of gender and class during this time. While seemingly a celebration of local culture, we might ask, who is really being represented and for whom?