Kaartspelende en drinkende mannen in de keuken c. 1841s

Willem Cornelis van Dijk created this etching of men drinking and playing cards in a kitchen at an unknown date. The scene is intimate, lit only from within. The domestic interior highlights the divisions of gender and age within the space. While the men indulge in drink and gambling, a woman sits quietly with a child, her gaze averted. The work subtly questions the social roles assigned to men and women, raising questions about the cultural expectations placed on each gender. Are the figures caricatures? Are they affectionate portrayals of the artist’s social world? This image sparks a broader reflection on how domestic spaces serve as stages where social norms are both enacted and subtly contested.