Nationale Tentoonstelling van Vrouwenarbeid 's-Gravenhage. 1898 Juli-September 1898

Suze Fokker created this poster in 1898 for the Nationale Tentoonstelling van Vrouwenarbeid, or National Exhibition of Women's Labor, in The Hague. The poster is a rich visual statement about the role of women's labor in society at the turn of the century. With its sunflowers, lilies and beehive, the poster visualizes a world in which women's work and nature come together. Fokker acknowledges the traditional role of women as nurturers, associating them with the natural world, but the very existence of the exhibition asks for a more serious, public acknowledgement of women’s work. Fokker developed alternative narratives. It is an emotional, personal, and hopeful expression of feminine identity. By highlighting the ‘feminine’ characteristics of the design, the poster reflects the societal issues that concerned Fokker and the other women involved in this exhibition. The poster embodies a sense of pride and possibility.