Staande man met kind met hoepel 1777 - 1779

Pieter de Mare created this print, "Standing Man with Child with Hoop," in the late 18th century, a period defined by significant social stratification. De Mare’s print captures an intimate moment, yet it speaks volumes about the era’s socio-economic structure and the roles within it. The man is depicted as one of the working classes, guiding a child who is holding a hoop and stick. The scene hints at a world where leisure was often a luxury, and childhood itself was framed by social constraints. The work offers a glimpse into the everyday lives of ordinary people and the emotional nuances of familial relationships within a class-bound society. It invites us to reflect on how we perceive historical notions of class and what it meant to live and grow in the late 1700s.