Thuiskomst van vader 1758 - 1808

Christina Chalon created this etching, “Homecoming of the Father”, sometime in the late 18th century. The scene depicts a domestic interior where a woman welcomes another at the door, while inside a second woman sits with a child on her lap next to a cradle. Through the open door behind her, we can see a man working at a table. The setting and dress codes suggest a scene from Dutch domestic life. But what is the public role of such an intimate image? At this time, the Dutch Republic had seen a shift in cultural values, with a greater emphasis on domesticity, family life, and the role of women within the household. Etchings like this would have been bought and sold, and displayed in the home, where they served to reinforce these social norms. As art historians, we need to investigate the social conditions that shape artistic production and the politics of imagery, in order to fully understand this artwork and its moment in history.