Vrouw die een schapenvel offert, naar klassiek voorbeeld 1813

Catharina Kemper made this drawing, "Vrouw die een schapenvel offert, naar klassiek voorbeeld" – or "Woman Sacrificing a Sheepskin, after a Classical Example" – with pen in brown ink. The artist here has looked back to classical antiquity for her subject, which was a common practice in late 18th and early 19th century Europe. It is important to remember that ancient Greece and Rome were themselves powerful, expansionist empires, built on slavery and warfare. By invoking these civilizations, Kemper’s drawing, whether consciously or unconsciously, touches on contemporary themes of power, conquest, and social hierarchy. We might ask ourselves, what does it mean to look back to a past that is itself fraught with injustice and violence? How does such a drawing reinforce or critique the power structures of its own time? To answer these questions we can consult a number of sources, from the artist's personal writings to historical studies of Dutch art and society. By situating Kemper’s drawing in its historical context, we can begin to understand its complex relationship to both the past and the present.