Twee vrouwen met een boek in een landschap 1625 - 1674

Jan Lievens created this etching, “Two Women with a Book in a Landscape,” sometime in the 17th century. Lievens, a contemporary of Rembrandt, navigated the vibrant cultural landscape of the Dutch Golden Age, a period marked by economic prosperity and artistic innovation. This small, intimate work invites us to consider the role of women and literacy in Dutch society at the time. The act of reading, often associated with knowledge and independence, is here juxtaposed with the women's placement within the landscape, suggesting a connection to nature and perhaps a more traditional domestic role. The book becomes a focal point, raising questions about access to education and the types of narratives available to women then. Is this a religious text? A romance? Who has access to the knowledge it contains? How might reading challenge or reinforce the existing social order? The answers, like the landscape, remain open to interpretation.