Kees de kaarsemaker c. 1843

E. Ille’s "Kees de kaarsemaker" presents a series of vignettes that illustrate the life and times of Kees, a candle maker. This work offers a glimpse into the social fabric and cultural norms of its era. Each scene tells a different part of Kees’s story, from his labor to his interactions with customers, his domestic life, and even a scene showing what appears to be a black servant, highlighting issues of class and race. We see visual representations of the domestic, economic, and social structures. What is Kees's position within this hierarchy? In some ways the image reinforces conventional class structures, yet in others, it humanizes Kees. It invites us to consider labor, race, and domesticity within historical narratives, and to feel a sense of connection with the past through the story of this individual. The simple scenes in the image make us think about who we are in relation to others.