Baby in een wieg in een woonkamer c. 1900 - 1930

Elly Verstijnen created this ink drawing titled "Baby in een wieg in een woonkamer," or "Baby in a crib in a living room," though the exact date remains unknown. Verstijnen's intimate portrayal of domestic life provides a window into the social fabric of her time. The detailed rendering of the nursery, with its patterned crib and playful toys, reflects the growing emphasis on childhood and domesticity in early 20th-century Western culture. Yet, this seemingly innocent scene invites us to consider the unseen labor and social structures that uphold such domestic spaces. How do gender roles influence the composition of the space? What is the relationship between the children and the space they inhabit? The doll hanging next to the crib might elicit diverse reactions—comfort, curiosity, or even unease. It serves as a powerful reminder of the complex emotions that can be evoked by even the simplest of domestic scenes. This drawing, though modest in scale, offers a nuanced exploration of the personal and societal dimensions of early childhood.