Naaiende vrouw aan tafel c. 1827 - 1850

Editor: We’re looking at "Naaiende vrouw aan tafel," or "Sewing Woman at a Table," an engraving from sometime between 1827 and 1850, found here at the Rijksmuseum. The scene feels quite intimate. What strikes me is the detail given to the rendering of the materials - the fabric she's sewing, the texture of the cat’s fur, and even the paper on the table. What's your perspective on this piece? Curator: For me, this image speaks volumes about the materiality of everyday life in the 19th century. Consider the process. Engraving, a meticulous, labor-intensive process, becomes the medium to depict another meticulous, labor-intensive process – sewing. The print is an object produced through work, representing a woman engaged in her own form of production. Editor: So, you're focusing on the actual *making* of both the artwork and the activity depicted in the artwork? Curator: Precisely! Notice how the candlelight illuminates the scene. What materials would have been used? How accessible would these materials be for the artist, and for the subject? It prompts us to think about class, and labor practices in the making and consuming. The inclusion of the cat adds to the narrative; it could be viewed as another consumer, depending on the woman to supply for her survival. Editor: That’s interesting! I hadn't considered the economic and social implications of something as seemingly simple as sewing. It reframes the work for me. Curator: Exactly, by examining the means of production and the social context, we see how deeply embedded materiality is in our understanding of even the simplest scenes. It encourages one to challenge traditional assumptions about domestic labor. Editor: Thanks! Thinking about the artwork as material object *and* depicting material objects gives it a totally different dimension! Curator: Indeed! And I am glad it was helpful to expand your thinking on the work.