Badkoetsen op het strand 1848 - 1888

Anton Mauve sketched 'Bathing Carts on the Beach,' using graphite on paper, during an era of burgeoning seaside leisure. Mauve, a leading figure in the Hague School, captured scenes of daily life, often reflecting the social stratification of his time. Bathing carts were mobile changing rooms for the upper and middle classes who sought the therapeutic benefits of sea bathing while maintaining modesty. The sketch, with its focus on these structures, hints at themes of privacy, propriety, and class distinctions in recreational spaces. The choice of graphite lends the sketch an immediacy, as if capturing a fleeting moment. While seemingly a simple scene, the presence of bathing carts invites reflection on societal norms and access to leisure. It prompts us to consider how even in moments of relaxation, social identities are performed and reinforced. This sketch offers a glimpse into a specific historical context and the ways in which spaces were negotiated and experienced by different social groups.