Dame aan toilettafel 1825 - 1903

Carl Wilhelm Mieling made this print of a lady at her dressing table in the nineteenth century. It shows a well-to-do woman being attended by two servants as she prepares herself for the day. Prints like these were widely circulated in Europe, and provided a glimpse into the lives of the upper classes. The image presents a very particular view of femininity and domestic life. It speaks to the rigid social hierarchies of the time, in which the labor of some enabled the leisure of others. We might consider the way the composition invites the viewer to identify with the central figure. How does it feel to be pampered and preened, against the background of those who serve? To understand this image better, we can look to sources like etiquette manuals, fashion plates, and household accounts. Through this research, we can see how art both reflected and shaped the social norms of its day. We can reflect on how the institutional and social contexts impact its meaning.