Jonkvrouw en minstreel 1897

Willem Geets created this print titled "Jonkvrouw en Minstreel" using etching techniques. The image presents a scene dominated by sepia tones, where we see a noblewoman sitting on a bed, seemingly absorbed in a book. Next to her, a minstrel plays a stringed instrument. The composition invites us to consider the contrast between the figures. The noblewoman is upright and regal, and the minstrel is crouched and expressive. The tapestry in the background hints at the rich interior, contrasting with the relatively bare foreground. Geet's use of line and shadow suggests a careful attention to texture and depth. This piece draws on codes of romanticism, where visual elements such as interior settings and dress evoke a past era. The encoding of gender and class invites us to decode the semiotic relations in the image. What does it mean to see the noblewoman with a book? And how does her status contrast with that of the entertainer? Ultimately, it's up to us to decide what values or meanings are stabilized or destabilized.