The Sister's Bed 1838 - 1841

Wilhelm Marstrand created the painting, The Sister’s Bed, in the 1800’s. The painting depicts what appears to be the everyday life of three sisters. One sister sits on the bed, another is in it, seemingly sleeping, and the third one is standing and holding what looks to be a tambourine. Marstrand, like many of his contemporaries, was influenced by the Romantic movement, which emphasized emotion, imagination, and individualism. In this painting, the viewer is asked to consider the experience of women, and the intimate spaces they occupy in their daily lives. The artist seeks to capture their emotional states and their relationships with one another. At first glance, this is simply a depiction of women in a domestic setting, however the emotional and psychological experiences of women during the 19th century were often overlooked or dismissed. The artist shows that they are worthy of artistic representation, and their lives are just as interesting and meaningful as those of men. This painting offers us a glimpse into their world.