Compositie met drie handen 1764 - 1806

Louis Charles Ruotte composed "Compositie met drie handen" using etching techniques. Without knowing the date of its creation, we can only speculate about the social context of this etching, but studies such as this one are part of a historical context that saw the rise of academic art. Here, the hand, a crucial instrument of human expression and labor, becomes an object of study, categorized and presented for dissection. It also has a gendered dimension; the text refers to elements of drawing for the use of young women. What does it mean to train young women in the art of drawing? This practice was laden with implications about gender, class, and the expected roles of women in society. It was about imparting skills, shaping sensibilities, and reinforcing social norms, all through the act of artistic creation. The artist invites us to consider the power dynamics inherent in the gaze, in representation, and in the act of studying the human form.