Staande man en vrouw in gesprek c. 1654

Gesina ter Borch created this drawing of a standing man and woman in conversation with pen and ink in the Netherlands, sometime in the 17th century. It seems to depict an exchange between members of the Dutch upper class. The male figure, adorned with a wide-brimmed hat and a long coat, exudes an air of authority, while the woman, dressed in a modest gown and bonnet, maintains an attentive posture. Ter Borch, herself a woman artist in a male-dominated era, captures a seemingly mundane social interaction. But it invites us to consider the power dynamics inherent within such encounters. The Dutch Golden Age was a period of immense economic and cultural growth, but also rigid social hierarchies. The Rijksmuseum, where this drawing now resides, plays a crucial role in shaping our understanding of this history. By studying Ter Borch's drawing alongside archival documents and social histories, we can gain deeper insights into the complexities of Dutch society and the role of art in reflecting and shaping its values.