Koorstoelen van de Grote Kerk te Dordrecht c. 1890 - 1922

Johanna van de Kamer made this pen drawing of the choir stalls in the Grote Kerk in Dordrecht, Netherlands. Though undated, we can assume it was made sometime between her graduation from the Hague Academy in 1894, and her death in 1922. Van de Kamer came of age during a period of great change. In the Netherlands, the late 19th century was a time of social and political upheaval, with growing calls for democracy, workers' rights, and women's suffrage. As you can see, the choir stalls are highly decorated, exhibiting wealth and power through visual codes. One might consider this within a social context. The Dutch Reformed Church, of which the Grote Kerk was a part, was the established church of the Netherlands and a powerful institution with close ties to the ruling class. By the late 19th century however, the church's authority was waning, as new social movements and ideologies challenged its traditional role. If you want to understand the period better, I suggest you consult historical archives, newspapers and periodicals from the period. These can provide insight into the artist's milieu.