Plein voor een huis met een vrouw bij een poort, in de schemering 1880 - 1936

René Janssens created this etching, titled 'Plein voor een huis met een vrouw bij een poort, in de schemering', which translates to 'Square in front of a house with a woman at a gate, at dusk.' This image evokes the quietude of domestic life, yet it also hints at the complex societal roles assigned to women. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, women were often confined to the domestic sphere, their identities closely tied to their roles as wives and mothers. Janssens captures this sense of quiet containment; the woman stands at the threshold, not quite inside nor outside. Notice how the gate and the encroaching darkness seem to frame her, almost as if the house itself defines her existence. The scene can be interpreted as a reflection on the limited opportunities available to women of that era, and prompts us to consider the emotional and psychological dimensions of these constraints.