Maria Magdalena met zalfpot 1828

This is a drawing of Maria Magdalena with an ointment jar by Elisabeth Kemper. Kemper was a Dutch noblewoman, and it is interesting to consider this work in relation to women’s artistic education in the Netherlands in the early 19th century. While women were excluded from formal art academies, noblewomen like Kemper often received private instruction in drawing and painting. In this context, religious subjects were deemed appropriate for women artists, as they aligned with prevailing notions of femininity and piety. The restrained style and delicate lines of the drawing, as well as the choice of such a subject, could therefore be seen as reflections of the social and cultural constraints placed upon women artists of her time, even those from privileged backgrounds. Further research into Kemper's life and artistic circle, as well as the art instruction available to women in the Netherlands at the time, could offer valuable insights into the social conditions that shaped her artistic production.