Moeders hulp 1835 - 1886

Dirk Jurriaan Sluyter created this print, Moeders hulp, the Dutch for 'Mother's Help', using etching and aquatint. The image depicts a domestic interior in which a mother sits, apparently sewing or knitting. A child stands before her, holding a birdcage, perhaps as a distraction. Prints like this were often produced in the Netherlands during the 19th century, for popular consumption. As such, we must see them as part of the visual culture of the time, speaking to contemporary social norms and ideals. Here, the industriousness of the mother is juxtaposed with the playful innocence of the child, creating a scene of domestic harmony. The fact that this image survives in the collection of the Rijksmuseum tells us something about the changing status of images and the institutions that collect them. This print was not originally made for a museum, but rather for circulation in the world. It is through historical research, looking at popular media, economic history, and the history of institutions, that we can better understand its meanings.