Boerderij met spinnende vrouw c. 1654 - 1720

Richard Adam’s etching presents a Dutch farm scene where a woman spins wool, likely made in the late 17th century, a time when the Dutch Republic was a major economic power. The serene image offers a glimpse into the domestic life that supported the era’s booming trade. Yet, let's consider the context. This era also saw the rise of Dutch colonialism, funded by the labor and resources extracted from colonized lands. So while the woman embodies domestic industry, it is critical to reflect on whose labor really sustained the Dutch Golden Age. What are the hidden narratives behind this seemingly peaceful rural scene? The spinning wheel was a symbol of women’s work, but it was also a marker of their limited sphere. Adam offers us a detailed image, but who is absent? Whose stories aren’t being told? It leaves me wondering how we can look at these images and confront the full complexity of the past.