Man groet een zittende vrouw c. 1654

Gesina ter Borch created this pen and brown ink drawing, "Man groet een zittende vrouw", sometime in the 17th century. Ter Borch, a Dutch Golden Age artist, lived in a time of immense social change, particularly concerning women's roles and expressions of identity. Here, we see a man greeting a seated woman, capturing a mundane, yet intimate moment. The drawing offers a glimpse into the performance of gender and social etiquette of the period. The woman, seated and engaged in needlework, embodies domesticity, while the man, hat in hand, enacts a gesture of respect. Yet, the simplicity of the scene belies the complexities of the artist's position. As a woman artist in a patriarchal society, Ter Borch navigated a world that often confined women to the domestic sphere. Her art, while seemingly conventional, subtly challenges these boundaries. By choosing everyday subjects, she asserts the value and importance of women’s experiences and perspectives. The drawing invites us to consider the unspoken dynamics between the figures, the subtle power plays, and the quiet dignity of domestic life.