Twee vrouwen met parasols op het strand c. 1850 - 1950

This undated pencil drawing by Monogrammist DS depicts two women with parasols on a beach. The sketch offers a glimpse into the evolving social mores and leisure activities of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the Netherlands. The presence of women on a beach, equipped with parasols, speaks to a changing cultural landscape where bourgeois women were increasingly visible in public spaces. The parasols themselves are more than mere sunshades; they are markers of social class, shielding delicate complexions from the sun, a signifier of a life of leisure. To truly understand this work, we might delve into Dutch social history of the period, looking at how the rise of the middle class influenced leisure activities and gender roles. We would look at depictions of the seaside in popular culture. Art is never created in a vacuum. The historian’s role is to connect what is in front of us to broader social and institutional contexts.