Vrouw met een lier reikt een vrouw met een tak een bazuin en masker aan 1771 - 1816

Reinier Vinkeles created this print, "Vrouw met een lier reikt een vrouw met een tak een bazuin en masker aan," in the late 18th or early 19th century. At first glance, it appears to be a simple allegorical scene with women embodying different virtues or ideas. However, during this period, the use of female figures in art was deeply entwined with notions of morality, citizenship, and national identity. As such, the woman with the lyre, a symbol of harmony, offering the other a trumpet and a mask, speaks to the complexities of virtue and civic duty. Are we being invited to consider how performance, or even disguise, may be required for an active citizenry? Consider the impact and expectations on women during the Enlightenment, and how traditional representations were being challenged and reshaped. This piece encourages us to reflect on the multifaceted roles women played in society and politics, beyond idealized forms. It suggests an emotional depth and a call for nuanced engagement with societal roles, and asks us to consider, what does it mean to be seen, and to perform?