Jonge vrouw met twee kinderen voor een huis 1769

Jean-Baptist Leprince created this sepia wash drawing titled ‘Young woman with two children in front of a house’ in the late 18th century. Leprince's work often romanticized the lives of ordinary people, fitting into the broader artistic movement that found virtue in simplicity. At first glance, this drawing presents a serene domestic scene: a mother and her children enjoying a quiet moment. Yet, it's worth considering how gender and class intersect here. The mother, presumably of the peasant class, is depicted in her everyday environment, a representation that diverges from the more common, idealized portraits of the aristocracy during this era. The presence of the children underscores the woman’s role as a caregiver. Leprince invites us to consider the emotional landscape of motherhood and childhood within the context of 18th-century French society. This drawing can be interpreted not just as a depiction of a family, but as a commentary on the social values and the romanticization of the simple life during that time.