Haringverkoopster 1803

Charles Howard Hodges created this mezzotint, “Haringverkoopster,” sometime before his death in 1837. The print depicts a woman selling herring to a customer. Consider Hodges' role as a portrait painter during a time of significant social stratification. This work offers a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people, immortalizing the labor and commerce of women who would otherwise be absent from the historical record. The herring seller and her customer are represented without romanticization. The exchange between the two women is palpable; it underscores the economic realities that shaped their daily existence. The image subtly challenges conventional representations of women in art, as it portrays them not as passive subjects but as active participants in the economic life of their community. How does this image expand or challenge our understanding of women's roles and identities during this period?